The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

BRT 'Lite' To Open in Nigeria

<p>After delays, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority in Nigeria announces the inauguration next month of its first Bus Rapid Transit corridor.</p>

February 29 - Nigerian Tribute, Dayo Ayeyemi

BLOG POST

Common Problems with Proposals for the Exit Project or Thesis in Planning

<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"> In <a href="/29520" target="_blank">January</a> I explored what kind of exit paper or project students of planning should prepare, why they should write such papers, and when. This month I turn to the proposal, examining key issues any proposal writer needs to consider. As I outline below, the parts of the proposal are fairly standard. However, three areas typically trip up students working on exit projects: identifying the audience(s), framing the question, and reviewing the literature. </p>

February 29 - Ann Forsyth

More Than 1% of Americans Incarcerated

<p>According to a new report, more than 1% of the U.S. population is behind bars -- the highest percentage ever recorded. The flood of prisoners is causing major funding problems for many communities and state governments.</p>

February 29 - Yahoo News

Beneath the Surface of L.A.'s Densification

<p>This article from the <em>LA Weekly</em> looks at efforts by the city planning department and key politicians to increase the density of the city.</p>

February 29 - LA Weekly

Are Planners to Blame for the Mortgage Meltdown?

<p>Randal O'Toole believes that in the search for blame for the mortgage and credit crisis, an obvious candidate is being overlooked: city planners.</p>

February 29 - Cato @ Liberty


Deteriorating Historic Homes May Fall For Market

<p>Historic homes in the Brooklyn Navy Yard have blighted the neighborhood for years. Many residents are backing a plan to replace the deteriorating homes with a market, but preservationists are hesitant.</p>

February 29 - The New York Times

Time To Solve Problems Of California's Delta Is Now

<p>The largest estuary in the West, the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, has been in trouble for many years. Yet policy-makers have been unable or unwilling to undertake major projects. That may change in 2008.</p>

February 29 - California Planning & Development Report


New Findings on Immigrants, Crime, & Incarceration

<p>A new report from a non-profit, non-partisan California think tank finds that immigrants, both legal and undocumented, have lower rates of incarceration and criminal activity in California than the U.S.-born population.</p>

February 29 - San Jose Mercury News

Growth in Gardening

<p>Nearly 100 million American households have tended a garden or lawn since 2005, a significant increase from years past. According to estimates, much of the rise is due to younger adults getting out in their gardens.</p>

February 29 - Publishers Weekly

Experts Consider Streetcar in Indianapolis

<p>Business leaders in Indianapolis are looking to replicate the success of Portland, Oregon, by creating a task force to pursue plans for a streetcar system in the city's downtown.</p>

February 29 - Indianapolis Business Journal

Upturn for Downcity

<p>The Downcity neighborhood of Providence is undergoing an urban revitalization, one hinged on preservation and renovation of historic buildings.</p>

February 28 - The New York Times

The Town That Keeps You in Shape

<p>Prince Charles has initiated an effort to build the world's first "trim town" -- a city form that aims to improve the health of its residents by creating walkable environments.</p>

February 28 - Scotland on Sunday

Colleges Tightening Bonds With Cities

<p>Universities are embracing their interrelationships with their cities, sparking a flurry of university-led urban development projects.</p>

February 28 - The Wall Street Journal

Fighting Gentrification With Historic Designation

<p>Business leaders in New York have proposed declaring Harlem's 125th Street as historic zone in an effort to stop gentrification in the area.</p>

February 28 - The New York Times

Will the National Mall Redesign Put Limits on Free Speech?

<p>A coalition of civil rights groups are concerned that the plans to redesign Washington D.C.'s National Mall will spatially restrict free speech and public protests, a charge the National Park Service rejects.</p>

February 28 - AlterNet

Is L.A. Ready to Rethink Mobility?

<p>Plans to convert major arteries to one-way streets in L.A. are meeting tough criticism. Many say the city needs to rethink what mobility should mean, but others say L.A. isn't ready for such a paradigm shift.</p>

February 28 - The Los Angeles Times

Idaho Cracks Down on Urban Renewal District Abuse

<p>Lawmakers in Idaho have proposed a bill that seeks to limit urban renewal district abuses.</p>

February 28 - Idaho Business Review

Miami Reaches For The Sky

<p>Due to the relaxation of FAA height limits, downtown Miami may see its ever-changing skyline rise even higher.</p>

February 28 - The Miami Herald

Mortgage Crisis a '50-State Katrina'

<p>Filmmaker Danny Schechter reflects on the extent of America's debt crisis, and wonders if we need something like the Oscars to help name and identify those responsible.</p>

February 28 - Common Dreams

Economic Stimulus Package - No Infrastructure Funding...Yet

<p>If a group of bipartisan governors from some of the nation's largest states have their way, the $168 billion economic stimulus package will include $30 billion to repair the nation's infrastructure, including road, rail, and bridges.</p>

February 28 - The San Francisco Chronicle

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