The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An emerging field of public interest design embeds architects and designers in communities that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford good design.

October 8 - The New York Times

Donald Shoup explains his disappointment with the American Planning Association's opposition to California legislation (AB 904), that would cap minimum parking requirements.

October 8 - International Transportation Economics Association

The Wall Street Journal reports on the growing numbers of technology entrepreneurs who are buying luxury homes in beachfront areas around Los Angeles, earning the stretch from Santa Monica to Playa Vista the name "Silicon Beach".

October 8 - The Wall Street Journal

A new study by the Reason Foundation evaluates wind power and finds that wind power is limited in practice due to the increased need for power storage, the decrease in grid reliability, and the increased operating costs.

October 8 - Reason Foundation

Author Kevin Baker offers a historical perspective of the Republican Party's shift to the "anti-urban party".

October 8 - The New York Times

At one time in the 1900s, a third of cars in major cities were powered by electric motors. Today, only about 1% of cars are fully electric. Why did we end up with gasoline-powered cars?

October 8 - The New York Times

In one of the world's most dense cities, urban agriculture finds its place on the rooftops of Hong Kong buildings. Fears of tainted imports is spurring much of the growth.

October 7 - The New York Times

For many locals, Williamsburg in Brooklyn was a weird neighborhood one passed by when getting into lower Manhattan. Now it is the center of gravity of creativity in New York City. <em>Metropolis</em> magazine takes a walkabout in the neighborhood.

October 7 - Metropolis

Atlanta is getting its first green bicycle lane, raised cycle track, bicycle signal and two-stage left-turn box near Tech Square.

October 7 - Creative Loafing Atlanta

Vancouver has the most farmland and farmers in North America. However, as Vancouver booms, the thriving agricultural belt that surrounds Greater Vancouver is at risk from an expanding city.

October 7 - Vancouver Magazine

Participants from a conference called the Inner City Economic Summit offer a variety of themes on "What Works" for meeting the needs of inner cities economies.

October 7 - EngagingCities

Writer David Lepeska offers a great summary of innovative civic technologies and mobile apps being used across the country, and speculates about which city will be the first to use Twitter as a very public suggestion box.

October 6 - Next American City

San Francisco's new experiment in low-income housing is a beautiful one; a new building combines eye-popping design and amenities you wish you had.

October 6 - Fast Company

No one should be surprised that at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards site, nothing is, or ever will be, as promised, writes columnist Roberta Brades Gratz.

October 6 - The Citistates Group

In a ceremony that featured local politicians and environmentalists, Caltrain accepts $39.8 million to install Positive Train Control, a funding milestone in the commuter rail's modernization.

October 6 - The (San Mateo County) Daily Journal

An experiment in Germany engages kids to build micro-cities as playgrounds. The idea is coming to downtown Philadelphia.

October 6 - Next American City

The Hubble Space Telescope has been busy for the past decade. After looking at the same spot in the sky for a total of 2 million seconds it has produced what NASA calls the "farthest-ever" portrait of the universe, reports Rebecca J. Rosen.

October 5 - The Atlantic

UCLA's Paul Habibi believes that L.A.'s lack of affordable workforce housing, the "donut hole" between subsidized housing and high-end housing preferred by developers, is harming the city's competitiveness. In a new report he outlines a solution.

October 5 - KPCC

A new suite of tools to help you design, plan, and manage your plot is looking for investors on Kickstarter.

October 5 - Inhabitat

A new skyscraper is set to grace skies over Bogota, Colombia. Instead of one wealthy developer, the tower is being funded by thousands of people, each with their own stake in the property.

October 5 - Fast Company