The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Lots of Work Left for San Francisco's Affordable Housing Goals
San Francisco's State of the City address provided an opportunity to check in on the progress of the affordable housing agenda of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.
An 'Energy Hub' Boomtown—In Philadelphia?
The Marcellus Shale boom has inspired some in Philadelphia to imagine their city as the "next Houston"—if it can attract the businesses and infrastructure to bring oil and gas in for the benefit of a homegrown manufacturing economy.
Plunging Fuel Prices Could Bring Plunging Fuel Taxes
It was considered a given by many analysts that global oil prices would only increase as world oil demand outstripped supply, so switching to percentage-based fuel taxes from per-gallon taxes made sense, until OPEC chose not to restrict their output.
Construction-Defects Law Troubles Developers in Colorado
Aldo Svaldi reports on the beginnings of a condo boom in Denver, which faces risks of legal setbacks in the "litigious environment" created by Colorado's controversial construction-defects law.
'Showers on Wheels' and Other Design Interventions to Help the Homeless
Recent years have produced no dearth of design interventions to improve quality of life for wealthy urban dwellers, but some recent efforts in San Francisco are targeted to help the city's homeless population.
Michigan Economic Development Ideas Include Innovation Districts
Stakeholders in Michigan have bought in to the innovation district concept.
Economic Recovery Harder to Find at the County Level
You've probably read the news that the country has recovered all the jobs lost in the Great Recession. A new report that analyzes four measures of economic health at the county level reveals a much bleaker picture of the economic recovery.

Outcry Over Manhattan's Latest 'Supertall' Developments
An article in The Guardian argues the side of New Yorkers opposed to a new round of high-rise development proposed for Manhattan.
South Dakota Governor Proposes Perpetual Gas Tax Increase
Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who pledged not to raise taxes during his first term, proposed in his state of the state to increase the state gas tax two cents on July 1, and then two cents a year thereafter, to fund state and local roads and bridge repairs.
Can the 2024 Olympics Help Boston Plan for a Better 2124?
Can the Olympic bid provide an impetus for long-range planning for the Boston metropolitan area?
Making Transportation Options Safer for Women
A post by the World Band surveys efforts around the world to mainstream gender on public transport—an effort challenged substantially by continued risks to the safety of women.
Is Housing 'Baggage' Holding America Back?
Throwing money at our housing problems is clearly not the answer, but are there ideas from markets in Europe that might work for us?
The Evolution of Austin—Found on Sixth Street
A Dallas Morning News column illustrates the evolution of Austin by exploring the changes in the neighborhoods along the city's famous Sixth Street corridor.
Architecture for Humanity Closes—Cites Lack of Funding
A sad day for the mission of using design to benefit the most vulnerable among us, Architecture for Humanity closed its doors earlier this month.

Debunking Myths about NFL Stadium Construction
Political leaders in San Diego have spent years characterizing the city's NFL team as a regional asset, requiring a new stadium to keep in place. A column debunks some of the logic behind how and why behind some of that reasoning.
Conservative Columnist Promotes $1 Gas Tax Alternative
Charles Krauthammer offers his own brand of gas tax hike that differs from others mentioned recently. One, it's much bigger. Two, revenues won't be used for transportation. It would be revenue neutral; all funds would be returned to taxpayers.
Lessons for the Real World in SimCity 4's Homeless Problem
Emanuel Maiberg discusses an ongoing crisis in a simulated version of reality familiar to many planners—i.e., the homelessness problem in SimCity 4.

Pop Quiz: Can You Name Cities from their Transit Maps?
What better way to wind down from a long week thinking about cities and maps and transportation than by taking a quiz to show off your knowledge of cities and maps and transportation?

More Evidence of the 'Neighborhood Effect'
Two recent studies find evidence of a powerful "neighborhood effect" for economic mobility—especially on the incomes of blue collar and service workers as compared to knowledge and creative workers.
Critic: Development Proposal to Close for Comfort to Philadelphia's Rodin Museum
Architecture Critic Inga Saffron decries the development proposal making progress through the approval process in Philadelphia—a large, glassy residential building that would encroach on the tiny serenity of the Rodin Museum.
Pagination
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.