United States
Regulations, But Growing Demand for Taco Trucks
Taco trucks are coming under fire in a lot of cities, as officials try to figure out how to handle the nomadic restaurants. As the Hispanic population grows, so does the popularity of the trucks.
Peak Water: Tapping Out the Ogallala Aquifer
This piece from Scientific American looks at the jurisdictional challenge of conserving water in the cross-state Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world's largest sources of freshwater and the backbone of the nation's farm economy.
George Will Slams LaHood
George Will, fresh from denouncing denim as 'the infantile uniform of a nation', is disturbed to find that Ray LaHood has bought the Obama administration's beliefs in regards to mass transit, bicycling, and 'transformation'.
Retailers Fled? Think Local, Experts Say
Real estate brokers are looking towards local and atypical businesses to fill empty retail space left behind by shrinking and bankrupt national chains like Starbucks and CompUSA.
Obama to Announce Tougher Standards for Autos Tomorrow
The Obama administration has announced that it will issue new emissions and mileage requirements for cars and light trucks tomorrow to create a single national standard.
No Jobs in Youth Magnet Cities, But Crowds Keep Coming
Cities like Portland and Austin have been magnets for young professionals. Amid the recession, these cities have few jobs to offer. But the hipsters keep coming.
Economic Troubles for Low-Income Families ... and the Services They Depend On
This piece from Color Lines looks at how the economic downturn is affecting low-income populations, and how social services are having trouble keeping up with an increasing demand for help.
Successful Cities and Green Jobs
This week's episode of Smart City explores what makes a city successful and tracks the future of the green job market.
Green School Building Bill Passes House
The Democrats of the U.S. House of Representatives have passed a bill that would create a green school building program in the U.S., investing more than $6 billion in its first year to build more environmentally friendly schools.
What Happened to America's Trains?
In an age of rapid technological improvements in almost every aspect of life, it's difficult to understand how a technology like trains could actually be less advanced now than it was in the 1940s, writes Tom Vanderbilt.
The Noise of Online Collaboration
Beth Noveck, deputy director for Open Government in the Obama Administration, talks about dealing with the noise of online collaboration and how to make social networks functional for civic participation.
Friday Funny: Detroit's Newest Slum Unveiled
The Onion reports on the "window-shattering ceremony" officially opening Detroit's newest slum, a neighborhood designed with the "latest in high-risk, hopelessly impoverished housing options."
Meet Peter Rogoff, Obama Pick to Head FTA
...or not. Only 3 senators bothered to show up for his confirmation hearing. The discussion centered around the failure of the FTA to get funding to ailing transit systems across the country.
Brainstorm: What Should Cities Do With Their Newly Empty Car Lots?
With the auto industry struggling and car dealerships closing shop, what future do you see for empty car lots? Vote on ideas submitted by the Planetizen community, or suggest your own.
Guiding the Next Federal Transportation Spending Bill
Legislation is being introduced in Congress to guide the course of the next five years of federal transportation spending, focusing on reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled and decreasing truck freight shipping.
Population Growth Slows for Asians and Hispanics
Minorities are on the rise in the U.S., but the rates of growth for Hispanics and Asians are slowing down, according to recent Census figures.
Retrofitting for Regional Government
Anthony Flint says that we have a lot of work ahead of us to retrofit America for the next century, from replacing water heaters to replacing old government structures with new, more regional ones.
A House Bill for More Parking Spaces?
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) is sponsoring the bill, with the goal of creating more parking spaces for big rigs in cities.
Cities Focus on Existing Buildings To Save Energy
Old buildings could be to blame for much of a city's energy waste. That's the case in New York, where officials are putting together a plan to retrofit older buildings to be less wasteful.
Vacant Storefronts Sell Space for Ads
Crushed by the falling economy, failing retail spaces are renting their storefronts to make a some extra cash.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
