United States

As substantial state and federal subsidies for electric cars continue, and the number of vehicles on America's roads climbs, a new article is raising questions about their environmental benefits over conventional cars.

July 3, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

A number of recent reports have examined the growing levels of poverty found in America's suburbs. An interactive map developed by the Urban Institute makes the dimensions and trajectories of that growth clear.

July 3, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Abandoned factories litter the landscapes of cities and towns throughout the Rust Belt. A new paper proposes an innovative solution to help prevent vacant buildings from plaguing a community before a building is ever constructed.

July 2, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A 2.7% increase on Ohio Turnpike Tolls and the new bonds that revenue will generate will not be enough to repair Ohio's aging road and bridge network, so a task force will recommend strategies - one of which must be elimination of the gas excise tax.

July 2, 2013 - The Plain Dealer

President Obama recently unveiled his 21-page framework for tackling climate change. But for some economists, that's twenty pages too many. A tax on carbon emissions is a simple, elegant, and relatively painless way to reduce emissions, they believe.

July 2, 2013 - NPR

Two very different grades are assigned, one from David Hawkins, Director of Climate Programs at NRDC; the other from a college senior working on a fossil fuel divestment campaign. Michael Brune of the Sierra Club differs with Hawkins on natural gas.

July 1, 2013 - Living on Earth

Can we combine our love affair with cars and single-family homes with sustainable growth? Mark Delucchi and Kenneth S. Kurani think so.

June 30, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

In a forceful op-ed, professor John D. Echeverria argues the Supreme Court's recent "blockbuster" land use decision will "result in long-lasting harm to America’s communities." Not so fast, says Rick Hills, the decision offers an "exit strategy".

June 30, 2013 - The New York Times

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.

June 28, 2013 - The New York Times

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.

June 28, 2013 - The New York Times

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.

June 27, 2013 - Housing Perspectives

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.

June 27, 2013 - Rooflines

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.

June 26, 2013 - Governing

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.

June 26, 2013 - NPR

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?

June 26, 2013 - California Planning & Development Report

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.

June 25, 2013 - The Atlantic 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.

June 25, 2013 - At Lincoln House

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.

June 25, 2013 - The New York Times

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."

June 25, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

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.

June 25, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard Blog