The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Multinational financial services company Citigroup was bailed out by federal stimulus funds after taking large losses on bad mortgages. Today, Citi Foundation is helping fund projects in 10 metro areas to increase stability and prevent foreclosures.

September 30 - Citi

Architect Alan Chang writes an extensive piece for PLACES on the need to rethink how suburbs are built and designed now, before the economy recovers.

September 30 - Places

Cities like San Francisco, Portland and New York are facing a problem most people didn't expect: an overabundance of farmers' markets. Vancouver's planners are keeping the numbers trimmed to make sure the current markets don't wither and die.

September 30 - The Globe and Mail

A promotion by Shell Oil and Lucky supermarkets conflicted with a regional alert to reduce driving due to an ozone alert. Motorists lined up in the morning for free gasoline at a San Francisco Shell station during a 'Spare The Air' Day on Sept. 28.

September 30 - The San Francisco Examiner

Richard Florida examines the stark regional variance behind American unemployment figures. He finds that Bismark and Fargo in North Dakota have least unemployment, while the Californian Central Valley suffers the highest.

September 30 - The Atlantic

Norwegian firm Snøhetta's new design for Times Square pays heed to the historic intersections' lasciviousness, while retaining the popular pedestrianized Broadway.

September 30 - The Atlantic

Recent winner of the Solar Decathlon's affordability category, the Empowerhouse costs under $230,000 to construct and uses an estimated 90% less energy than the typical U.S. home.

September 30 - Fast Company

This Big City readers offer their ideas, from infrastructure-related to marketing, to encourage cycling among more casual riders in London.

September 30 - This Big City

The argument that increased supply of urban housing will lower prices is rapidly being disproved by successive waves of gentrification throughout American cities. Stephen Smith offers a considered analysis of the economics behind this dynamic.

September 29 - Forbes

Philip Langdon criticizes the 'corporate isolationism,' of Apple's new donut shaped headquarters in Cupertino, California.

September 29 - New Urban Network

The UN released new demographic projections Thursday that forecast India's urban population will more than double in the next thirty years. UN Under Secretary General Joan Clos said there is an urgent need to discuss urban issues in response.

September 29 - India Current Affairs

The city of Austin has released a new 197 page planning document to manage its population growth and inform planning decisions for the next three decades.

September 29 - American Statesman

An expansion of Dublin's light rail system (DART) has been put on hold by Ireland's Transport Minister, who is ditching the idea in favor of a bus rapid transit system.

September 29 - Irish Independent

Zoning administrator Ryan Smith digs into the recently released paperback of Donald Shoup's seminal book, and the newly updated preface in particular.

September 29 - Examiner.com

Brown's main reason for signing the bills: "Too Damn Many Regulations". One gives environmental clearance for the AEG stadium in downtown LA, and the other other accelerates environmental review for projects costing at least $100 million.

September 29 - Capital Public Radio

West Hollywood's new library returns to the California Mid-Century tradition with floor to ceiling glass windows providing plenty of natural light, and a walkable link to Santa Monica boulevard a new park signals a new civic focus.

September 29 - Los Angeles Times

With hundreds of former Borders locations vacated comes the question of what to do with the spaces. They are generally just too large and expensive for other booksellers, writes Susan Stellin, though at least one landlord has made it work.

September 29 - New York Times

If cities are like ailing bodies, then building modernization is the key to their future health. It's time planners looked at buildings as ecological and economical assets, according to Gordon Gill.

September 29 - Huffington Post

BLOG POST

This past weekend I attended a memorial service for a local activist. Eric Quezada was important in many planning-related issues here in San Francisco – how we create space that reflects the cultural traditions of our large immigrant communities, the importance of preventing displacement of low-income people, the development of affordable housing and institutions that meet the needs of all of our citizenry. I had known Eric for many years, but had the privilege of working most closely with him when I served on our city’s Planning Commission and he was a lead organizer in the Mission District, an historically Latino neighborhood threatened by dot-com fueled gentrification. In his short 45 years on earth, Eric touched the lives of thousands here and around the world.

September 28 - Lisa Feldstein

A study by the National League of Cities says how the economic recession has finally started to hit cities as property- and income-tax have decreased. Cities are balancing their budgets through layoffs, canceled construction projects or raised fees.

September 28 - Associated Press