The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>This editorial from the <em>Orange County Register</em> bemoans the urban renewal process proposed in a new specific plan for the city of Santa Ana that some say will gentrify the city's downtown and eliminate many industrial jobs.</p>

December 28 - Orange County Register

<p>Flaws in LEED's rating system make it much too easy to get certified, which begs the question: Does LEED really succeed in making our buildings any greener?</p>

December 28 - Slate

<p>Growth and urban development are posing significant threats to air quality in Northeast Ohio, and many planners are looking at ways to reduce the threats.</p>

December 28 - The Plain Dealer

<p>Temporary, interim, or intermittent uses are part of a growing trend, evident both in Europe and the U.S., that creatively responds to new planning needs.</p>

December 28 - Planning Magazine

<p>The Pentagon and an international consortium are investigating the feasibility of 'beaming back' solar energy from a network of space-based satellites and Pacific island-based antennae that could begin operating as early as 2012.</p>

December 27 - AP via San Francisco Chronicle

<p>A Pakistani planner offers an urban planning wish list for the most urbanized country in South Asia.</p>

December 27 - The International news

<p>Naomi Klein believes that HUD's demolition of public housing in New Orleans isn't just about responding to flood damage: it's a classic example of what she calls "The Shock Doctrine" -- using disasters to restructure and privatize whole economies.</p>

December 27 - AlterNet

<p>California's population is not only immense, it's incredibly diverse. Building the infrastructure to serve the state's current residents has proven a difficult task -- one that won't get any easier.</p>

December 27 - The Planning Report

<p>Discontent with one particular type of public levy, the local property tax, is gaining momentum across the country. Disgruntled homeowners are demanding that governors and mayors find alternative methods to raise revenue.</p>

December 27 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

<p>Far more residents left the Golden State than arrived from other states, but births and foreign in-migration kept the state growing to 37,771,431 residents, with 3/4 of total population increase resulting from births alone.</p>

December 26 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D) argues that the war in Iraq is diverting billions of dollars that are badly needed to shore up America's crumbling infrastructure.</p>

December 26 - Albany Times-Union

<p>From smaller residential projects to vast mixed-use developments, more and more architects are crossing over into development work, bringing a fresh perspective to the process.</p>

December 26 - Urban Land Magazine

<p>The Economist offers a fascinating review of the evolution of the suburban shopping mall into the hot new "lifestyle center." The conclusion: "It was necessary to kill the American city centre before bringing it back to life."</p>

December 26 - The Economist

<p>National Geographic launches a new green cities blog called The Ecopolitan, written by Jay Walljasper, Senior Fellow of the Project for Public Spaces, and Executive Editor of Ode magazine.</p>

December 26 - National Geographic

<p>The Minneapolis citywide wi-fi network is expected to become self-sustaining by February, according to officials.</p>

December 26 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

<p>A new trial in the San Francisco Bay Area has riders using their phone to pay for transit fare.</p>

December 26 - Banking Unwired

<p>Nearly every community talks about attracting more entrepreneurs. But aside from programs like SCORE, which assists entrepreneurs with business plans, and some efforts at growing venture-capital funds, most communities scratch their heads over how to</p>

December 26 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Can Hamilton, Ontario -- a city notorious for its pollution and smokestacks -- turn itself around to become an environmental leader in energy conservation? Yes, says, Daniel Lerch, author of "Post Carbon Cities".</p>

December 26 - Hamilton Spectator

<p>Cohousing could be the answer for seniors looking for a strong sense of community and support from neighbors as they age.</p>

December 26 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>An editorial by Alex Garvin and Nick Peterson calls for NYC's planners and officials to rewrite outdated off-street parking regulations. The authors point out contradictory parking requirements and proposes a more efficient market-based system.</p>

December 25 - The New York Times