An Italian city planner visits San Diego to analyze sprawl-fighting techniques first-hand.
"For all the American architects and planners who travel to Europe to study how the Old World built cities, Claudia Trillo did the reverse.
A Fulbright scholar, city planner and assistant professor at the University of Naples, Trillo spent the last six months in San Diego to see how a Southern California city battles sprawl with smart-growth principles."
"In the last few years, sprawl has been plaguing Europe," she said, and San Diego has the reputation in worldwide planning circles for planning smart – even if locals here don't believe it.
"She also said NIMBYism – "not in my backyard" objections to development – is so common in land-use issues that Italians have adopted the term without translation into an Italian equivalent.
Of particular interest to her once she arrived in November was the intertwining of local and regional interests and priorities, as evidenced by work at the San Diego Association of Governments and in the many local and state agencies that affect land-use decisions.
"I realized that the level of democratic discussion is much higher," she added."
FULL STORY: Italian planner marvels at San Diego’s smart-growth tenets

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.

Making Mobility More Inclusive
A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service