An Op-Ed by Bruce Katz in the Baltimore Sun calls on Congress to provide states and cities necessary fiscal relief and to reverse its drift toward unfunded mandates and programmatic inflexibility.
"For those who haven't been watching, the new year marks a troubled passage for the nation's cities. New York City just raised property taxes 18 percent as it struggled to contend with sagging tax revenues. Los Angeles is out $70 million it poured into protecting transportation and shipping hubs from terrorism. And stalled budget bills keep billions of federal dollars for cities in limbo, including needed funding for homeland security. Granted, cities' return to fiscal stability will depend mostly on the wider economic recovery. Yet federal choices, on fiscal matters as well as major programs such as homeland security and welfare, will massively impact localities, regardless of national trends."
Thanks to Kurt Sommer
FULL STORY: American Cities: Federal Neglect Imperils Their Rise

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap
The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan
Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont