Emily Badger tracks the hacking phenomenon as it migrates from the virtual to the physical world, and the official channels that are embracing and facilitating its emergence.
While the attraction and growing popularity of the DIY/Tactical/Temporary urban intervention phenomenon rests at least partially in the premise that such projects can be done outside the bounds of government approval and participation, that doesn't mean public officials aren't interested in embracing their rogue interventionist brethren. Case in point: San Francisco, the home to the inaugural Park(ing) Day event (a touchstone for the tactical urbanist movement), where the city "plans to roll out on May 15 a single website that will curate in one place all the possibilities, permits, and guidelines for engaging city streets, from how to apply for a bike corral to who to work with in city government to get one. The idea is not unlike the one-stop online data portals that many cities now have to facilitate citizen participation in the digital world," writes Badger.
While it's clear that cities are interested in engaging and partnering with (if not co-opting) "street hackers," one wonders if making such interventions formally permitted isn't besides the point. In drawing the analogy to their digital namesake, if hacking was condoned, would it still be interesting? Better yet, would it still be hacking?
FULL STORY: The Street Hacker, Officially Embraced
Upending Trickle-Down Techniques for Creating Public Space
Michael Kimmelman looks at the wave of 'cheap, quick, temporary and D.I.Y.-style approaches' that are introducing a more successful means of creating public space than traditional trickle-down techniques.
Tactical Urbanism Makes Strides in L.A.
A DIY urbanism group in Los Angeles has successfully prompted the city to install permanent crosswalks at dangerous intersections, despite the city’s insistence that the group’s do-it-yourself work is illegal.
How Tactical Urbanism Succeeds Where Bureaucracy Fails
Making the case for do-it-yourself infrastructure.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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