The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A Sacramento State Court gave the Governor permission to redirect money from local redevelopment agency funds to prop up local education.

May 13 - The Sacramento Bee

In Fort Worth, Texas, the former Masonic Widows and Orphans home is a 20-acre historic campus of red brick buildings that is up for redevelopment. Architect Lee Hill talks about their plans for the site.

May 13 - Fort Worth Business Press

Already a substantial city of 1.5 million, Mecca more than doubles its population during the annual hajj pilgrimage -- which is expected to bring in 8 million people by 2030. Moving so many people will require a world-class public transit system.

May 13 - The Globe and Mail

With its planning department reporting to a deputy manager several steps removed from the mayor's office, Toronto's planning system is "just insane", writes Christopher Hume.

May 13 - Toronto Star

San Antonio, Texas, is partnering with business and nonprofit groups on a project aimed at curbing homelessness.

May 13 - San Antonio Express-News

Iain Mills reports on the competing storylines describing China's transformation. Is China wantonly destroying historic buildings and displacing people, or constructing a future, harmonious society?

May 13 - Asia Times Online

In Albany, NY, a "complete streets" bill that would dictate that all new roads follow guidelines for bike and ped accessibility is gaining ground as it passes through the state Congress.

May 13 - Streetsblog

Focusing on her Armani outfit, her upscale background, and the beet salad she was ordering, Vanity Fair finally gets down to brass tacks with New York's Planning Director Amanda Burden.

May 12 - Vanity Fair

The group that maintains Philadelphia's famed Rittenhouse Square has put a lot of maintenance work into making it a lovely space, but is faced with mounting expenses and needs new ways to pay for them.

May 12 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

A study in India has shown that more women gather in public spaces in Mumbai than any other city in the country, even though free and open access continues to be a problem.

May 12 - Hindustan Times

In this interview with the City Repair Project co-founder Mark Lakeman, Yes! Magazine writer Brooke Jarvis learns how residents can fix their neighborhoods by creating public space where it never existed before. [Includes photo essay].

May 12 - Yes! Magazine

Residents of Chautauqua County are weighing in on the possibility of offshore windfarms in both lakes. Locals fear a drop in property values, the consistency of wind as a power source, and a lack of direct benefit.

May 12 - The Post-Journal

Microsoft uses GPS data collected from your trips to predict where you're going and give you advice on how to get there more efficiently.

May 12 - Fast Company

In case your knowledge of urban history is a bit fuzzy, tune into the History Channel this week.

May 12 - History.com

Roger Valdez looks back at the history of highways, and the switch from local control to state and federal control due to the burden of financing and maintaining roads.

May 12 - Sightline Daily

The housing affordability rule of thumb is that you should not pay more that 30% of your income in rent or mortgage payment. Yet that ratio doesn't include the transportation costs that vary by community. What would it be if it was included?

May 12 - The Arizona Republic

Paris plans to eventually phase out automobiles in the city center in order to create a pedestrian friendly riverbank.

May 12 - Time

Medellín, Colombia is better known for drug kingpins than architects, but a boom in exciting contemporary architecture with a humanitarian approach has both planners and designers flocking to the city.

May 11 - The Los Angeles Times

It's 1.28 miles long, spans 212 ft. above the Hudson River only 80 miles north of Manhattan, and a state park, no less, officially titled "Walkway Over the Hudson". Initially a railroad bridge that opened in 1888, it closed after a fire in 1974.

May 11 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

With due respect to Mr. Pitt for trying, some New Orleans architects and urbanists say the buildings he's brought to the city are "alien" and don't respect local tradition.

May 11 - Flavorpill