United States
Chinese Investors Embark on U.S. Real Estate Shopping Spree
With of support of leaders in Beijing, Chinese investors are making their presence known in U.S. commercial and residential real estate markets. The levels of foreign investment are reminiscent of the Japanese buying binge of the 1980s.
Window for Advantageous Public Borrowing Closing Fast
For years, public leaders have touted low interest rates as a fantastic opportunity to borrow money to modernize America's aging infrastructure. That opportunity looks to be ending, as rising interest rates batter the municipal bond market.
America's Unequal Housing Recovery
Home prices are rising throughout the U.S., signaling a sustained recovery of the housing market. But declining homeownership rates and record levels of burdensome housing costs point to a recovery that's only benefiting some Americans.
Can Mobile Homes Help Solve America's Affordability Crisis?
Homeownership is slipping out of reach for many Americans, caused largely by the lack of affordable housing inventory. There is a solution to the inventory shortage that many buyers, advocates and policymakers are overlooking: Manufactured Housing.
Report Questions Value of Energy Benchmarking
The premise behind the energy benchmarking laws found in many cities is that they will induce owners to increase the efficiency of their buildings. But a new report questions whether the investment in data collection leads to changes in energy use.
Climate Adaptation: Is Miami Indefensible?
In advance of President Obama's long-awaited speech on climate change, NPR looked at climate adaptation - preparing for the environmental changes it will cause. Rising sea level is the topic. In the U.S., two cities stand out: New York and Miami.
U.S. Supremes Tighten the Screws on Exactions
The Supreme Court's ruling Tuesday in the Koontz case could have a chilling effect on all negotiations between government agencies and developers, says Bill Fulton. Are Alito and Kagan on the same planet?
Housing Price Increases in Urban Areas Outpace Suburbs
As we've heard recently, home prices are on the rise throughout the United States. New research from Jed Kolko shows that increases are particularly acute in areas with high rises, multi-family housing, and a diversity of residents.
Utilize Existing Assets, Rather than Mega-Projects, to Revive America's Legacy Cities
A new report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy examines American cities suffering significant population losses, and concludes that investing in existing assets such as historic areas and transit systems offers the best path to prosperity.
Can Small Steps Prevent Massive Change? Obama Unveils Long-Awaited Climate Plan
It doesn't involve cap-and-trade or a major international protocol, but the sweeping climate plan unveiled by President Obama today is 'the most far-reaching effort by an American president' to address climate change. Best of all, it skirts Congress.
The 8 Most Promising Ideas in Open Gov
This week, the Knight Foundation announced the eight recipients (out of 886 applicants) to share in $3.2 million in grant funds intended to promote the use of public data "to improve the way people and governments interact."
Divergent Views on the State of America's Cities; Can They Both Be Right?
Kaid Benfield discusses two influential new publications that posit very different takes on the state of America's cities. While he finds elements to agree with in both, Benfield ultimately finds himself an optimist when it comes to our urban future.
By Urging Action on Climate Change, Kerry Ruffles Feathers in India
At the beginning of a two-day trip to India, the world's third largest emitter of carbon dioxide, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made solving climate change a focus of his public remarks. The U.S.'s own failures elicited skepticism from locals.
HOT Lanes Slow to Catch on With Users
High-Occupancy Toll lanes have become a popular tool to help reduce congestion and raise revenues. But recent projects in cities throughout the U.S. have failed to meet expectations. Eric Jaffe investigates the reasons why.
Can America Adapt Its Waterfronts Before They Drown?
America's voracious appetite for waterfront development continues, even as a future filled with rising seas and extreme storms becomes more evident. The most proactive coastal areas have begun planing for adaptation, but are they doing enough?
A Dutch Evaluation of American Cycling
Warning: This five-minute video may be the most critical evaluation of American cycling conditions you will ever watch. After viewing, you may understand what separates cycling in the U.S. from that in The Netherlands - it's not just infrastructure.
The ‘Driving Boom’ is Over: What Does That Mean for Communities and Transportation?
The trend toward less driving received national attention in May with the release of a report by US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), and the news has profound implications for both urbanism and transportation.
New Report Calls Attention to Need for Critical Bridge Funding
It may have been serendipity, but Transportation for America's new report on the sorry state of America's bridges, 11% are structurally deficient, was released the same day that a temporary replacement span opened on the Skagit River bridge in Wash.
Three Everyday Ways to Inspire Urban Change
Chuck Wolfe suggests three, perhaps non-traditional ideas for how to inspire acceptance of change in our cities through accessible experiences.
Federal Complete Streets Mandate Gains Speed
Although nearly 500 localities around the U.S. have created complete streets policies, there is no federal mandate that they do so. That may soon change if a bipartisan bill introduced last week in the House of Representatives is passed.
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
