The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Do Housing Tax Credits Create Jobs?
With Gov. Schwarzenegger promising $200 million in tax credits to homebuyers, Paul Shigley says it's worth looking closely at the promises that such credits create new jobs and bolster the economy.
Most Photographed Cities
Cornell computer scientists used a supercomputer to analyze nearly 35 million Flickr photographs and determine which cities and landmarks were the most photographed. New York, London and San Francisco come out on top.
TOD Plans Approved in White Flint
Montgomery County officials have approved plans to build an extensive new transit-oriented neighborhood at the area around the White Flint Metro stop in North Bethesda, Maryland. The plan is one of the largest in the D.C. area since the 1950s.
Underpass Finds New Life As Park
The land underneath a Toronto highway overpass will be converted into a neighborhood park. Officials hope it will spark the revival of one of the city's underused waterfront neighborhoods.
Traffic Survey Paints Picture of New York City Congestion
Through a survey of New York City taxis with GPS tracking devices, the city has created a database of speeds and routes that gives them a clear picture of the state of traffic in the city.
How New York Crowned the Car
Detroit may have been the Motor City, but New York City was where the car became king, according to a new book and exhibit which look at the history of the automobile in New York in the early 1900s.
Land Use Success and Failure in Two Florida Towns
This post from <em>NRDC</em>'s Kaid benfield compares the two Florida cities of Lehigh Acres and Venice, where land use decisions created one city doomed to fail and another that's on a fast rise.
Moving from Sustainability to "Transition"
In response to the threats of peak oil and climate change, thousands of people around the world are engaging in local "Transition" initiatives to promote resilience and "reskilling" to prepare for the expected "energy descent."
Gertrude Kerbis, Pioneering Female Architect
Architect Gertrude Kerbis worked for sixty years designing buildings in Chicago alongside more famous architects like Walter Gropius and Mies Van der Rohe. Preservation Magazine talks to her about her struggles as a woman in a male-dominated field.
Census Undercount Areas Mapped
<em>Urban Omnibus</em> takes a look at a new website that maps out places in the U.S. with low return rates for Census surveys.
Detroit Mayor Makes Big Plans in State of City Speech
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing recently delivered his first "state of the city" speech since taking office, and included a broad list of proposals that could bring about a widespread revisioning of the struggling city.
Portland's New Complex Aims At Curing Homelessness
The city of Portland is moving ahead with a $47 million shelter and services project known as the Resource Access Center. It's the largest efforts underway to solve the city's notorious homelessness problem.
Florida's Fast Train Connects to Slow Buses
The NYT examines problems with Florida's high speed rail line that received $1.25 billion in HSR stimulus funds. In addition to weak transit connections at both ends, the 84-mile route has five stops, increasing the total trip time.
Tech Tools Have Revolutionary Potential for Cities
<em>Governing</em>'s Stephen Goldsmith looks at the trend of smart phone applications related to city governance and civic improvement. He sees huge potential in these early stages of a trend that's likely to experience exponential growth.
Cities Banning Digital Billboards
Digital billboards with flashing and changing images are being outlawed in cities across the country.
Experts Weigh in on Question of Bike-Car Equality
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently wrote on his blog that bicyclists would no longer be overlooked by federal transportation policy. <em>National Journal</em> asks its panel of experts whether cars and bikes should be treated equally.
Obama Health Care Bill May Create Demand for Medical Office Space
Real estate brokers see opportunity in building office space for physicians who will serve newly-insured people under federal health-care overhaul.
BLOG POST
Crowdsourcing Plans
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Many thanks to Wired’s Jeff Howe who’s 2006 article “The Rise of Crowdsourcing” put an effective label at what the internet was doing to business.<span> </span>Building from Web 2.0 applications focused on social media like Facebook and on-line communities, it’s become a popular and controversial term in tech circles.<span> </span>For those not as familiar with the idea, let’s consult the most often used example of crowdsourcing – Wikipedia.<span> </span><span> </span>“Crowdsourcing is a distributed problem-solving and production model. Problems are broadcast to an unknown group of solvers in the form of an open call for solutions.
Alternative Energy Lights Up Streets in Suburban Chicago
Downers Grove, IL has won accolades for being the first residential subdivision to install a hybrid solar-wind powered street lighting system, reports TribLocal.
Maps, Apps, and Food
Yahoo has released a new iPhone app that allows users to draw a circle on a map around the area he or she wants to search.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
