The de Blasio Administration has recommended that the city of New York is ready to collect its trash in a new way, with a system known as franchising.

David Giambusso reports that New York City will "begin implementing a 'zoned-collection' system for the city's private carting industry…" According to Giambusso, the change represents "an historic change in how commercial waste is collected and managed in New York City."
In a report that's scheduled to be released Wednesday, the de Blasio administration will argue a zoned-collection system, known elsewhere as 'franchising,' will dramatically reduce vehicle emissions while also giving the city much greater regulatory authority over an industry critics have likened to the wild west.
The New York State Department of Sanitation collects all residential waste in the city, but private contractors collect waste from "virtually all of the waste collected from businesses, both large and small," explains Giambusso. The private trash collectors are heavily criticized by labor and environmental groups, however, leading to the de Blasio Administration's actions.
Zone collection essentially means the city will be divided into zones and contractors will be allowed to bid on specific sectors. Now, a single city block can be serviced by more than a dozen different companies, leading to inefficient routes, excessive pollution and traffic.
The report expects that efficiencies gained from a zoned system will also drive down trash collection prices.
It could take "two years for the city to develop a plan and another three years or more to implement it," reports Giambusso, and "the City Council will have to pass legislation to codify the changes."

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods
A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown
Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.
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.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions