The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>The City of Portland joins Davis, California, as the only other city to earn the League of American Bicyclists' Platinum rating.</p>

May 8 - The Oregonian

<p>The Federal Reserve has announced plans to help community non-profits to acquire foreclosed homes for use as affordable housing.</p>

May 8 - The Washington Post

<p>With its portrait of glamorous living in Manhattan, some New Yorkers can't help but blame the television series for fueling the city's gentrification. Even the show's star, Sarah Jessica Parker, laments Manhattan's loss of 'grit'.</p>

May 8 - New York Daily News

<p>Environmentalists say laws have yet to catch up with greener fuel alternatives for cars.</p>

May 8 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>In Nebraska, a state experiencing just a moderate level of Hispanic immigration inflow, Attorney General Jon Bruning has drawn the line on who he’ll protect from abusive housing policies and who he won’t. For him, immigrants simply aren’t worth it.</p>

May 8 - The Next American City

<p>Go for a ride with Los Angeles' leading pedestrian activist and learn about some of the challenges in bringing change to the Car Culture Capital of America.</p>

May 8 - LA Streetsblog

<p>Plans for a Broadway-style theater and "cultural district" in downtown Salt Lake City moves forward.</p>

May 7 - Deseret News

<p>A number of innovative new bicycle designs were on display at this year's International Bicycle Design Competition, including a bike that folds into its own backpack carrying case -- making it easy to take on public transit.</p>

May 7 - Gizmag

<p>Despite concerns about lowering property values across the city, the L.A. City Council moved to limit the size of newly constructed homes in older neighborhoods to about 4,000 square feet.</p>

May 7 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>If driving less makes prices fall -- will Americans respond by driving more?</p>

May 7 - The Columbus Dispatch

BLOG POST

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <p style="margin: 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman">It turns out that the “law of demand” (the tendency of higher prices to reduce consumption) and the principles of urban economics (that improved accessibility increases land values) still apply. If we are smart, we can use these to help solve problems and benefit consumers.</span> </p>

May 7 - Todd Litman

<p>The extent of China's embrace of American-style suburbanization is best illustrated by one of its newest gated communities, which is actually called Orange County.</p>

May 7 - Good

<p>Planning has become too much like a court case, with two sides and one winner. According to columnist Christopher Hume, this adversarial nature must be changed.</p>

May 7 - The Toronto Star

BLOG POST

<p> With climate change on the mind of the world&#39;s policy makers, the auto-oriented design of our cities has been singled out as a major culprit -- and understandably so. Cars burn a lot of fossil fuel, so getting people to walk, bike and use public transportation more would help cut down on pollution and green house gases. <br /> <br /> But how to get people out of their cars? The key, many agree, is to redesign cities. Right now cities are designed for people moving around in their cars, so it&#39;s unreasonable to expect people to use any other means of transportation. But give them a city that&#39;s planned for walking, biking and public transit -- and it could be a whole new ballgame.<br />

May 7 - Christian Madera

<p>Cairo's first new green space in more than 100 years has opened -- on top of a 500-year old garbage dump.</p>

May 7 - NPR

<p>In an incredible recycling operation that reduces global warming, a waste hauler is building a facility to produce Liquefied Natural Gas from methane emitted from its California landfill to fuel its garbage trucks.</p>

May 7 - The Sacramento Bee

<p>This commentary from the <em>Austin American Statesman</em> argues that the city's aim to become the country's most livable city is undercut by its low number of community gardens.</p>

May 7 - Austin American Statesman

<p>A recent survey of the planning profession in the United Kingdom has found that there likely won't be enough young planners to replaces the aging planners approaching retirement.</p>

May 7 - The Architects' Journal

<p>One of the top political bloggers in Colorado expounds against the planning profession. He lays blame for most cities' ills at their feet.</p>

May 7 - The Wash Park Prophet

<p>From unemployment to rising rents to widespread foreclosures, many major problems face Americans. In his latest column, Neal Peirce argues that planners are the ones who can formulate a broad solution.</p>

May 6 - The Denver Post