United States
The New Whistleblower: Using Satellite Images to Spot Environmental Damage
West Virginia-based SkyTruth is culling satellite and aerial images to blow the whistle on unreported damage to the environment.
Focus on Scale-Up, Not Start-Up
Jose Corona of Inner City Advisors urges: to truly transform local neighborhoods, we must shift our attention to invest in enterprise scale, not start-ups, as a long-lasting solution for creating good jobs.
Crowdfunding Civic Spaces
Although crowdfunding initially developed to support artists and entrepreneurs, crowdfunding sites are funding a growing number of public space projects.
Reflections on Urban Public Art
Ken Lum, Professor in the School of Design, the University of Pennsylvania and Penn IUR Faculty Fellow, writes about the promise—and pitfalls—of urban public art today.
How to Marginalize the Automobile
In a column for Fast Forward Weekly, Steven Snell explores the complexities in lessening the domestication of the automobile and its perceived necessity in our day-to-day lives.
The Litterati Impact: Cleaning the Planet One Instagram at a Time
#litterati. That's the hashtag. See a piece of litter, post it on Instagram, then throw the trash away. Simple.
Goodbye Two-Car Household; Hello Rideshare and Carshare
A new study from KPMG predicts that the U.S. will go from a majority multi-car household to one where only 43% of households have more than one motor vehicle by 2040, and rideshare and car-share, along with demographic changes, will play key roles.
Friday Funny: Denmark vs. U.S. in an Epic Rap Battle Between Bike Advocates
A cartoon by Streetsblog blogger John Greenfield imagines a fictitious rap battle in the style of the popular YouTube channel, "Epic Rap Battles from History"—except the rap battle is between two luminaries of the bike advocacy movement.
Study: The Parking Tax Benefit Subsidizes Congestion
A new report, "Subsidizing Traffic Congestion: The Multibillion-Dollar Tax Subsidy That’s Making Your Commute Worse," was released earlier this week by TransitCenter and Frontier Group.
Using Social Media to Celebrate Historic Buildings
For almost as long as social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram have been in existence, users have had a morbid fascination with examples of derelict and destroyed architecture. Social media, however, can be more celebratory of the past.
Did Obama Bet on the Wrong Electric Vehicle Technology?
With Toyota's long-waited fuel cell electric vehicle (FCV) hitting showrooms in the U.S. this week, Kenneth Chang, science reporter for The New York Times, delves further into the technology, starting with how it fared under two administrations.
Report Details Best Practices for Land Banks
A recent report collects data from the experience of cities using land banks as a method for addressing vacant and blighted properties.
Graduate Urbanism Studies Aren't What They Used to Be
As society's understanding of cities, neighborhoods, and communities continues to evolve, so too do the graduate education programs created to provide professional training in those areas.
Cities Dominating the Economic Recovery
The affordability crisis and congestion are just two of the signs of the dominance of cities in the economic recovery, according to an article in the Washington Post. In fact, outside of cities, it doesn't look much like a recovery at all.
The Human Dimension of the Physical City
In his latest two contributions from the south of France, Chuck Wolfe reminds urbanists of the backdrop of the human dimension of affinity, conversation and daily rituals that stand behind the physical, human scale.
The Neighborhood Effect: How Place Impacts Upward Mobility
A new blog post from Jonathan Rothwell discusses the impact of neighborhoods on upward mobility.
Key to Community Partnerships: Don't Walk Away in Anger
In a plot line of the documentary Gaining Ground, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative fights to keep the lines of communication open with a large, partner nonprofit when a major conflict threatens their relationship.
The Chicken and the Egg: Gentrification and Bicycling
Shaun Courtney examines the current politics surrounding gentrification and bicycling throughout the country and what planners can do to address the issue.
Smart Planning for Watershed Protection
Planning for growth impacts watersheds in rural and urban settings. Kaid Benfield provides access to best practices for both ends of the development spectrum.
How Congress Skews Commuter Benefits
Current commuter benefits favor employees driving to work instead of taking public transportation, despite years of advocacy and lobbying efforts in Congress.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
