The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Officials in San Francisco will be presented with reports today on possible ways to integrate congestion pricing and toll zones into the city. If approved, San Francisco would be the first city in the nation to implement congestion pricing.

November 25 - San Francisco Chronicle

CQ Press has released its annual list of cities with the best and worst crime rates. Groups from the U.S. Conference of Mayors to the FBI decry the list for being simplistic, but CQ defends its data.

November 25 - CNN

The Web Urbanist has compiled a gallery of fantastic designs for more sustainable urbanism.

November 25 - Web Urbanist

Latest figures are indicating that as many as 4 in 10 mortgage holders in America could soon be "underwater," with the potential for millions to simply walk away.

November 25 - McClatchey Newspapers

Fortune Magazine's Martin Sloan is interviewed on Marketplace on why he thinks it would be good for Detroit, and America, to have a higher gas tax. At the same time, he has advice to Congress as to what they should do with fuel-efficiency standards.

November 25 - Marketplace Morning Report

Unable to sell their homes, thousands of aging seniors throughout the U.S. who would have moved to assisted or independent living or retirement communities are staying put - in homes they would love to leave but are financially tied to.

November 25 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p> Locality: &quot;We have distressed neighborhoods&quot; </p> <p> Conventional Thinking: &quot;We have housing dollars&quot; </p> <p> Locality: &quot;But we have distressed neighborhoods&quot; </p> <p> Conventional Thinking: &quot;But we have housing dollars&quot; </p> <p> Locality: &quot;So?&quot; </p> <p> Conventional Thinking: &quot;You can run organizations with these dollars and keep at it forever&quot; </p> <p> Locality: &quot;So problems don&#39;t actually have to be solved?&quot; </p> <p> Conventional Thinking: &quot;Correct&quot; <br /> </p>

November 24 - Charles Buki

Witold Rybczynski says that architects are trying too hard to build buildings that are attention-getting rather than going for timeless designs.

November 24 - Wall St. Journal

A growing number of local governments are turning to "green cement" resolutions to rectify North Texas' status as a shameless failure when it comes to complying with clean air standards.

November 24 - The Dallas Observer

Cooltown Studios looks at what makes a shiny new corporate district different from an organically-grown one.

November 24 - CoolTown Studios

Des Moines, IA is one of 28 metropolitan areas that have seen home prices go up in the third quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.

November 24 - The Des Moines Register

The City Council of Cheyenne, WY, petitioned by local religious groups, are changing zoning rules to allow churches to use land zoned commercial. The decision will open up vacant commercial buildings inside the city.

November 24 - Wyoming Tribune/Eagle

Seattle needs major revisions to its transportation infrastructure, according to local officials. Getting the public behind the expensive projects may be as simple as saying one word: jobs.

November 24 - The Seattle Times

The first 'firescape' garden is in Santa Barbara, CA, and stands as an educational tool for landscaping homes for fire protection.

November 24 - edhat

A 1920s school building in Portland, OR is at the center of a fight between school district officials - who have a bond measure to rebuild it - and local architects and preservationists.

November 24 - Daily Journal of Commerce

St. Paul, Minnesota's artist-in-residence has instituted a program where poems are imprinted into sidewalks throughout the city.

November 24 - The Christian Science Monitor

FEATURE

Planetizen is pleased to release its eighth annual list of the ten best books in the planning field. With titles covering some of the most timely issues in planning, the list gives readers an overview of the best ideas and writing in the field.

November 24 - Abhijeet Chavan

For about a month, commuter rail has been rolling in Baghdad. Where once there was danger, now there are commuters.

November 24 - Los Angeles Times

FEATURE

Robert E. Smith, AICP, explains the impact of recent court decisions on the ability of local governments to control the placement of wireless towers in their communities.

November 24 - Robert E. Smith, AICP

BLOG POST

<p> Getting people to understand the intricacies of planning can be a challenge. The modern-day emphasis on public participation is an effort to get people involved, but it&#39;s frankly not too appealing for most people to attend public hearings about zoning amendments and setback changes. But those zoning amendments and setback changes could be pretty important. Planners need to try harder to connect with the people their work affects to explain its importance. It&#39;s time to break from convention. One possible way is dancing.<br />

November 24 - Nate Berg