The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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A Critical Evaluation of the USDOT Conditions and Performance Report
The “Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance, Report To Congress” is intended to provide a comprehensive and objective evaluation of our transportation system. Let’s evaluate this evaluation.

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Lessons from a Groundbreaking Interdisciplinary Design Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati
Niehoff Urban Studio brings students from different departments together to work on bettering Cincinnati's built environment.
New App Would Auction Public Parking Spaces
The MonkeyParking app works similarly to sharing economy stars Airbnb or Uber, except for sale is an inside line on parking spaces. That means that private users would be auctioning the use of public space. That can't be legal, can it?

How Does Social Status Drive Transit Opposition?
A new book explains how suburban dwellers have built "zoning rules, housing covenants and other mechanisms" to protect "their privileged place in the residential pecking order."
Difficulties Arise in Decommissioning of San Onofre Nuclear Plant
The decision to decommission the San Onofre power plant came in June 2013, after a radiation leak shut down the plant in January 2012. The process of decommissioning the plant, however, might take decades.
What (or Who) Can Make a Downtown Revival Happen in Warren, Michigan?
After past attempts to redevelop the downtown of Michigan's third largest city failed, Warren's mayor believes that the city's downtown and civic center is ready to transform into a bustling urban environment. What will it take to make that happen?
Roundabouts: A Tool for Placemaking
Designed properly, roundabouts enhance placemaking and the pedestrian experience.
Ranking the Best City Brands
"The inaugural Guardian Cities brand barometer ranks world cities on everything from transport and weather to crime and social 'buzz.'" Guardian Cities released a trio of posts in connection with the rankings.
4 Ways The Government Can Bolster Impact Investing
Impact investing isn't just a new source of funding for nonprofits from the private sector. The government can (and should!) be a catalyst in shaping the market through policies that support investments with a greater social impact.
Can Mayors Help Architects Stay Relevant?
According to an opinion piece by Mimi Zeiger, "urban magistrates are appearing more frequently as personas on the architectural scene as designers tackle questions of the fate of the city." What can design-savvy mayors offer architects?

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Resiliency Growing Pains
Resiliency is rapidly influencing urban sustainability and hazard mitigation planning. Global Green has identified key questions and findings through Sustainable Neighborhood Assessments in four communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

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HUD Rental Assistance on an Unsustainable Path—What Can Be Done to Save It?
A "Race to the Top" proposal for HUD to help off-set the difficulties of delivering affordable housing in high-priced, high-mobility metros.

'Housing New York' Would Invest $41 Billion in Affordable Housing
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the details of the "Housing New York" plan this week. The plan will guide the de Blasio Administration toward its goal of creating 200,000 affordable housing units in the city.
A Texas-Sized Commercial Property Tax Gambit
A pair of articles from the Dallas Morning News examine the inequities of property tax rates in Texas. Under the current system, commercial property owners in Dallas County "shaved more than $4.8 billion off preliminary tax appraisals."
Climate Change Impacts all of U.S., warns National Climate Assessment
For the third time since 2000, the federal government has issued a National Climate Assessment, as mandated by Congress in 1990, to “understand, assess, predict, and respond" to climate change. The report was approved by President Obama on Tuesday.
Study Finds Deteriorating Service on New York City Subway System
A new study analyzes thousands of MTA 'electronic alerts' to identify trends. One finding in particular jumps out: the number of alerts has increased 35 percent in two years.
Agriculture Department Releases Five-Year Census Data—'Christmas for Farm Nerds'
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its 2012 Agriculture Census. The census provides data like how much wheat the state of Kansas produced and the average age of U.S. farm operators.

Do We Need Affordable Housing or Affordable Living?
Two primary strategies will help to achieve affordable living: Reduce household transportation costs and support smaller living spaces.
'Cap & Toll' Plan Proposed for Mountain View, California
To address the growth of commute traffic to the Google campus and neighboring tech companies in the north (of Hwy. 101) part of this city of 74,000 in Silicon Valley, the city council is proposing a toll on all three road entrances to the area.
Parking Meter Tests Provoke Frustration in St. Louis
Locations around St. Louis are testing new parking meters, leading to confusion and tickets. The changes are part of an ongoing test of new systems that will eventually yield an overdue overhaul of the city's parking technology.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.