United States
Bush Signs Housing Bill
President George W. Bush signed into law a package of housing legislation intended to ease the burden on thousands of borrowers who face losing their homes. The legislation will also bail out major mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Americans Reduce Their Driving by 3.7% in May, Transportation Funds Plummet
At a time when highway infrastructure is already facing challenges such as the rising costs of concrete and steel, a change in driving habits is causing a major reduction in available funds.
What Should The Carbon-Free Futurama Look Like?
The Futurama exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair excited an entire generation about suburbia. At a meeting of the Citistates Group, policy wonks wondered whether it's possible to create a new vision of a Carbon-Free Futurama.
Can Small Town America Survive the End of Cheap Gas?
With few local job opportunities, residents in small towns have grown accustomed to long commutes to cities. But with high gas prices making those commutes unaffordable, some economists wonder how much longer small towns can retain their populations.
Time for Government 2.0
With increasing amounts of data collected and held by governments, there's a lot of opportunity to make use of it for the betterment of communities, according to this column from Neal Peirce.
A Greener Fannie and Freddie?
Friends of the Earth president Brent Blackwelder and journalist James S. Henry believe that the federal bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needs to come with some very green strings attached.
Thousands of Bridges Remain in Disrepair
Some states have made progress in repairing old bridges since the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse, but many states still have thousands in disrepair. Billions are needed to get them up-to-date.
Yellowstone National Park, 2011
This editorial cartoon from Mother Jones offers a look at a possible future for Yellowstone National Park.
Exurbs Hit Hard by Housing Crisis
Exurban developments are struggling to control their rampant foreclosure rates and plummeting housing values.
Columnist Neal Peirce Discusses the Past and Future of the Metropolis
Planetizen talks with journalist and syndicated columnist Neal Peirce about the trends he's seen over the course of his career and the future of America's metropolitan regions.
Does HUD Need To Be Modernized?
Professor Sudhir Venkatesh of Columbia believe it is time for HUD to be replaced by a more nimble agency capable of responding to the 21st century city.
T. Boone Pickens Announces Alternative Energy Plan
Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens has announced his plan to reduce America's dependency on foreign oil, emphasizing the extensive transfer of wealth out of the country it has caused. His plan relies on natural gas vehicles and increasing wind power.
Not As Poor As You Think
This segment from NPR looks at results from a new study that show many poor neighborhoods actually have the potential for vibrant economies.
Starbucks Closing Hundreds of Stores
After seemingly endless expansion, Starbucks begins closing some 600 stores, prompting a "save Starbucks" campaign.
Friday Funny: Developers Bad at Naming Streets
Developers often see naming streets as their way of making a mark, naming streets after daughters, alma maters, or the family dog. But they often find themselves tangled up in regulations and the limits of their own creativity.
Friday Funny: 'Guide Ferret' Banned From Bus
OC Transpo (Ottawa's transit authority) says that Frances Woodard can no longer bring her pet ferret on transit.
Time for a National Water Policy in the U.S.
Former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega laments the incredibly disjointed and ad hoc approach to freshwater management in the United States.
NPR's Talk of the Nation Highlights Amtrak Long Distance Travel
Former travel editor Catherine Watson is interviewed on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" about her Amtrak trip on three long-distance trains from Minnesota to New Mexico that illustrate the difference between travel and transportation.
SF's New Federal Building is Green and Safe, But Is It Good?
Witold Rybczynski visits Thom Mayne's new Federal Building in downtown San Francisco. He finds a number of energy conservation innovations at play, but concludes that precious little else is playful or human about the architecture.
America's Dying Middle Class
Rolling Stone pundit Matt Taibbi writes that the media are missing the real story: that millions of Americans are financially drowning under home heating costs, gas prices and debt, and the middle class is disappearing.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
