James Howard Kunstler uses his time at the Congress for the New Urbanism to reflect on the road the New Urbanists have taken, the opposition they've faced, and the bubble financing that made it all possible.
Kunstler slams Atlanta, the location of the conference, saying, "If the Devil created an anti-city, a place where people would feel least human, Atlanta would surely be that place."
Kunstler says that the New Urbanists proposed their solutions before climate change and peak oil were even issues.
He writes, "The great achievement of the New Urbanists was not the projects they built during the final orgasm of the cheap energy orgy. It was the knowledge they retrieved from the dumpster of history. We really do know where to go from here. Whether the people of the USA have the will to take themselves there now is another issue."
FULL STORY: Out of Darkness

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

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

Blocked, Restored, Blocked Again — Housing Funds in Legal Limbo
Since Trump took office, the administration has blocked multiple affordable housing funding streams. Here's a look at which funds have been frozen, which have been reinstated, and which are in the courts.

Mapping Groundwater Risks from Orphan Wells Across U.S. Aquifers
A new USGS study reveals that more than half of the nation’s documented orphan wells lie within aquifers supplying the vast majority of U.S. groundwater, posing widespread risks of contamination from aging, unplugged infrastructure.

Reflections on Representation and Legacy in Parks and Public Service
In a personal reflection for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, planner Clement Lau explores how cultural identity, public service, and a commitment to equity have shaped his career in parks, community planning, and sustainability.
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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.
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