Legislation
They Had No Heat for Months. A New Law Let Them Sue.
In New York state, tenants can now take landlords to court directly to force repairs and get damages, without withholding rent first. Here’s how one of the first tests of the new law worked.
Are Delivery Robots on Their Way to a Neighborhood Near You?
Amazon and FedEx are developing bots that would travel on city streets and sidewalks. The companies are also working behind the scenes on legislative efforts that would help them deploy the technology in the future.
ADU Reform Moves Forward in Seattle
A sweeping reform of Seattle's current accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules is currently underway. Proposed legislation sets the stage for an ADU boom to potentially match Vancouver and Portland.
Another SB 827? Ambitious California Housing Bill Isn't Quite Dead Yet
It received a lot of press, but ultimately California's Senate Bill 827 went nowhere. Now, the state senator who introduced the bill is working with advocates who opposed it on another version that just might have better chances.
Breaking: Elizabeth Warren Releases Far-Reaching Housing Bill
The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act probably has no chance of passing into law, but it's still the most substantial gesture toward housing policy by a member of Congress since the subprime crisis of 2008.
Congressional Democrats Propose $1.1 Billion for Smart Cities Programs
Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) have introduced bicameral, not bipartisan legislation to fund smart cities programs.
Coming to Missouri: The War on Red Light Cameras
The backlash against the use of red light cameras has legislative backing in the Missouri State legislature.
New Orleans Holding Out Hope HOME Program is Spared in Budget Fights
With Congressional budget negotiations ongoing in Washington, New Orleans home builders, policy makers, and low-income residents are hoping that the HOME Investment Partnership program comes out unscathed.
Ready and Waiting: New Law Makes Light Rail Possible in the San Fernando Valley
In another example of Los Angeles slowly unraveling itself from prior legislation that hinder its transit goals, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that will allow light rail construction in the San Fernando Valley.
Selling the Importance of Street Vending
In the latest entry in a series on informal urban livelihoods, Sally Roever of WIEGO provides insight into how planners can better understand, acknowledge and manage street vending through the development of appropriate policies and best practices.
Bill Proposes Privatization of Northeast Rail Corridor
House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica has proposed a bill to privatize Northeast Corridor rail operations. This post from Pedestrian Observations looks at what such a plan would mean.
Mortgage Headache Spawns Legislation in California
Mortgage debt is crippling the housing market all over the country, and the homeowners who've taken on more debt than they can afford. Now, real estate interests and banking interests are battling over legislation intended to ease the pain.
Is A Mass Transit Bailout the Right Move?
National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts whether mass transit agencies really deserve $2 billion in emergency operating aid.
Fighting Against Cheap Parking
This post from GOOD looks at a bill from California state senator Alan Lowenthal that seeks to incentivize cities into reforming their parking rules.
Wide Web of High Speed Rail Could Boost Congressional Spending
The projects receiving funding through the federal government's roughly $8 billion high speed rail investment travel through more than 40% of congressional districts. Analysts predict this will encourage more legislators to push for related funds.
Lawmakers Consider Using Trust Fund for Transportation Projects
Lawmakers in Alabama are considering a plan to withdraw $1 billion from a state investment fund to pay for road and transportation projects in the state. It's a move proponents say will create jobs, but opponents worry about diverting those funds.
Ag Secretary Concerned Over Farms-to-Forests Conversion
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has ordered the revision of a forecasting model related to congressional climate legislation that makes the conversion of farmland to forests more lucrative than producing food.
How Did We Get Here?
In an interview, Rep. Jim Oberstar gives a retrospective of American infrastructure funding and talks about the need to consider transportation in light of the "post-interstate era."
Inching Towards Graywater Reuse in Oregon
Legislators in Oregon are making moves to allow residents to reuse graywater.
New York's Legislative Lock Down Leaves Cities Hanging
As a power struggle between legislators in New York drags on, statutes in the state are expiring, leaving many cities with procedural headaches and tied hands.
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.
Berkeley County
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
