The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Florida Wetland Permits Debate Heats Up

Environmental groups are warring with Congressmen on making wetland permitting more 'accessible'.

November 3 - The St. Petersburg Times

Why New Orleans Levees Failed

The lessons learned apply to other US cities -- and need to be quickly absorbed in the Big Easy.

November 3 - The Christian Science Monitor

China Considers Ending Urban Residency Permit System

Millions of rural Chinese have moved to the largest cities, seeking jobs, but without formal access or rights to services. Chinese officials are concerned that the unequal treatment of urban and rural residents may lead to social instability.

November 3 - BBC News

Federal City in NOLA proposed

A proposal for local military bases is added to the hurricane recovery package.

November 3 - The Times Picayune

Innovative Emergency Shelter Built From Plastic Tubes, Debris

Inspired by ancient structures, an architect's innovative design for an emergency shelter is adapted by the International Rescue Committee to house survivors of the South Asia quake that is estimated to have left 3.3 million homeless.

November 3 - Happy News


New Orleans' Troubled Renaissance

While some artists return, the city faces the loss of its 'everyday' creative genius.

November 3 - The Christian Science Monitor

Transit Oriented Development Catches On

Mixed use projects are opening near transit stations in Los Angeles and around the country as cities try to encourage density and discourage the use of cars.

November 3 - The New York Times


The Quality of Sprawl

Bob Day, president of the Australian Housing Industry Association, challenges the idea that sprawl is bad, and suggests that policies that promote urban density are the foundation of the country's housing affordability crisis.

November 3 - Housing Industry Association Ltd. (Australia)

Planning for Post-Republican America

David W. Orr. believes that the Bush administration is about to self-destruct, and with it, its approach to science, environment, climate change and energy; it's time to start planning for what will replace it.

November 3 - CommonDreams

The New Suburbanism

Author and commentator Joel Kotkin and consulting firm, The Planning Center, team up to produce what they are calling 'A Realist's Guide to The American Future.'

November 2 - The Planning Center / Joel Kotkin

Swampland Bearing The Brunt Of Katrina's Waste

Environmentalists worry about the long and short-term effects of using the swamps as a landfill for waste from Hurricane Katrina.

November 2 - CNN

Recognizing Planning As A Leadership Position

Philadelphia's Mayor proposes to include the director of the city's planning commission in his cabinent.

November 2 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Environmentalists Worried About Alito's Record

Environmentalists in D.C. have spent the last 24 hours digging through Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's extensive paper trail for clues as to how he might vote on environmental cases were he confirmed as a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

November 2 - Grist Magazine

Christopher Alexander: The Nature Of Order -- In 4 Volumes

Christopher Alexander's new series of books, 'The Nature Of Order', explores the patterns of how culture and learning dictate the architecture of buildings and community. But beware: it's very, very long.

November 2 - Science & Theology News

Prince Charles And New Urbanism

Prince Charles granted CBS News' Steve Kroft an interview featuring the village of Poundbury - a New Urbanist enclave that demonstrates real-world implementation of a walkable community.

November 2 - CBS News

Underground City Goes On The Market

Cold War City, Britain -- a subterranean complex built during the height of the Cold War -- is on the market along with the military base above.

November 2 - London Times

Census Tracks Cities' Daytime Population Changes

U.S. Census Bureau has released first-ever estimates of cities' daytime population changes.

November 2 - The Washington Post

Prefab Goes Mainstream

As housing prices continue to skyrocket, prefabricated homes -- often stylishly designed by respected architects -- are quite a deal, and selling well. [Includes a slide show.]

November 2 - Business Week

Sierra Club, Homebuilders Unite To Beat Ballot Initiatives

While Sierra Club and Greenbelt Alliance battle developers in the East Bay, the scene is the opposite in the South Bay community of Cupertino, home to Apple Computer. Here, they hold hands opposing 3 restrictive land use measures.

November 1 - San Jose Mercury News

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.