The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Even with a voter approved plan, the Kansas City metro region is only beginning to talk about light rail construction -- to its determent, argues one columnist.</p>

July 31 - The Kansas City Star

<p>A developer that had offered to make the residents of a Florida seaside community overnight millionaires has walked away from the deal after negotiations stalled.</p>

July 31 - AP via ABC News

<p>Johannesburg's Ponte City, a once-exclusive whites-only address now at the center of a dangerous, abandoned part of the city, will undergo a major renovation project featuring affordable housing, with the aim of turning the neighborhood around.</p>

July 31 - The Globe & Mail

<p>Columnist Neal Peirce highlights the University of Pennsylvania's efforts at improving its Philadelphia neighborhood -- and the resulting improvements for Town and Gown.</p>

July 30 - The Seattle Times

<p>A Los Angeles Times investigation reveals a highly-paid manager for the Los Angeles City Housing Authority rigging bids worth nearly $1 million over four years.</p>

July 30 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>With the cost of fighting fires having risen dramatically, a recent op-ed suggests that cities and counties reign in sprawl and prevent home construction in forest areas.</p>

July 30 - The Salt Lake Tribune

<p>An ambitious 5 year project will attempt to catalog all the historic properties in the city using an interactive website.</p>

July 30 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>An Atlanta city councilwoman is trying to launch an affordable-housing program based on leveraging homes abandoned due to the mortgage-lending crisis.</p>

July 30 - Atlanta Business Chronicle

<p>Even with a $1 billion surplus this year, mouting debt payments for MTA may force an increase in the $2 bus and subway fare next year to keep the budget in the black.</p>

July 30 - The New York Times

<p>"Progress" and developers are carelessly expanding the reach of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.</p>

July 30 - The Kansas City Star

FEATURE

July 30 - Ali Modarres

<p>With private home development crowding many of the waterfront areas next to Lake Ontario in Toronto, locals and parks advocates are left with few access options.</p>

July 30 - The Toronto Star

<p>Hosting a collection of dozens of historic colonial buildings originally built more than 200 years ago, the city of St. Augustine, Florida, is having trouble taking care of all of them. The University of Florida has volunteered preservation services.</p>

July 30 - The Ledger

<p>An investigative report airing on PBS stations chronicles the corruption and mismanagement uncovered at the Miami-Dade Housing Agency over the past year.</p>

July 29 - PBS

<p>An ambitious plan to redevelop the Mississippi Riverfront in New Orleans has locals excited about the prospect of a huge boost to the economy, but some are leery about the negative impact the project could have on the city's unique character.</p>

July 29 - The Clarion-Ledger

<p>In southwest China, one municipality is trying to usher in a new modern age by encouraging rural residents to move into urban areas. The flood may create one of the most populous cities in the world, but many rural migrants are hesitant to move.</p>

July 29 - The Economist

<p>Chicago has plans to replace more than 50 high-rise public housing buildings, a renovation project that is expected to cost more than $1 billion. The plan has elicited criticism from housing advocates who argue that many residents will be displaced.</p>

July 29 - NPR

<p>A Wall Street Journal writer shares her family's experience in a neighborhood quickly being dominated by McMansions.</p>

July 29 - The Wall Street Journal

<p>Demographic trends are shifting all over the world, leading scientists to believe that the global population may soon peak and decline. Demographers argue that how countries and regions handle the decline will be critical in the long-term.</p>

July 28 - The Economist

<p>As urbanization increases, the importance of ecologically-considerate city building techniques has become more pronounced. Several examples of planned "eco-cities" are laying the foundation for embracing this model of growth and development.</p>

July 28 - GLOBE-Net