United States
L.A Billboard Policy 'Worst in Nation'
Kevin Fry, president of Scenic America, explains the threat to the urban fabric posed by lax billboard policies. He also explains how cities can avoid L.A.'s problems enforcing outdoor advertising codes.
For Cities, Cutting Back May Simply Mean Streamlining
Tough economic times spell troubles for city budgets. One way to cut back on costs is to rethink operation of seemingly untouchable public safety services like police and firefighters, according to this column from Neal Peirce.
3 Plans to Rescue the Economy and the Earth with Public Transportation
Treehugger.com talks to Andy Kunz of urbandesign.org, The Apollo Alliance, and Transportation for America about their proposals to move America forward with expanded public transportation initiatives.
Intercity Bus Use Highest in 40 Years: Study
A new report from the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development finds that a combination of high gas prices and airline industry woes have contributed to a dramatic increase in intercity bus ridership.
Transportation Secretary Will Have to Hit Ground Running
Outdated funding mechanisms and systemwide maintenance issues ensure that the next transportation secretary will have a full plate during the Obama administration.
The Problem of Less Driving
This year, oil prices in America rose to heights drivers had never seen. So they cut back on driving. But that reduction is now causing oil prices to fall back down, and many say drivers will soon revert to old habits.
Holidays Bring No Savior As Retail Centers Empty
Not even the Christmas season is expected to turn things around for struggling retailers, which are dropping like leaves and littering vacancies in shopping centers across the country.
The Cautionary Tale of Vallejo
Vallejo, CA declared bankruptcy last spring, felled by fiscal mismanagement and falling property taxes. Cities around the country are looking to Vallejo's example as they teeter near the edge.
Public Lands Under an Obama Administration
Environmentalists and resources extracting industries alike are scrutinizing President-Elect Obama's election comments for indications of what his administration's public lands policies will be like.
2009 City Crime Rankings Released
CQ Press has released its annual list of cities with the best and worst crime rates. Groups from the U.S. Conference of Mayors to the FBI decry the list for being simplistic, but CQ defends its data.
Worse Times Ahead for Housing
Latest figures are indicating that as many as 4 in 10 mortgage holders in America could soon be "underwater," with the potential for millions to simply walk away.
Save Detroit - Raise The Gas Tax
Fortune Magazine's Martin Sloan is interviewed on Marketplace on why he thinks it would be good for Detroit, and America, to have a higher gas tax. At the same time, he has advice to Congress as to what they should do with fuel-efficiency standards.
Senior Housing Options Decline Amidst Housing & Financial Crises
Unable to sell their homes, thousands of aging seniors throughout the U.S. who would have moved to assisted or independent living or retirement communities are staying put - in homes they would love to leave but are financially tied to.
Des Moines Sees Home Prices Rise
Des Moines, IA is one of 28 metropolitan areas that have seen home prices go up in the third quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Important Court Decision Restores Local Govt. Control on Zoning for Wireless
Robert E. Smith, AICP, explains the impact of recent court decisions on the ability of local governments to control the placement of wireless towers in their communities.
Best Cities for Bicycles
Bicycling Magazine has ranked U.S. cities in terms of air quality, bike infrastructure, and the number of other bikes on the road.
Stuck In Portland Without Any Groceries
The connection between land use and health comes clear in Portland, OR, where some of the poorest citizens face a four-hour round trip to the grocery store.
The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route
The Center for Minority Health and the Adventure Cycling Association partnered to create a bike trail stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Ontario. The trail was recognized at the 19th Annual Trails Symposium.
Mall Restaurants Foresee Bleak Christmas
With sales down at local malls and retail centers and projected at record lows for the holiday season as households curtail spending, restaurants that rely on retail traffic are preparing for losses.
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
