Government / Politics
A Departing Blow to Clean Air on Pruitt's Final Day
Friday may have been disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's last day in office of the agency in charge of protecting the nation's environment, but he still managed to roll back a regulation to create lasting air pollution far greater than VW did.
Los Angeles to Consider Public Bank for Housing and Cannabis
Voters will decide in November on the creation of a cannabis-friendly, publicly owned bank to invest in affordable housing.
Seattle Beats San Francisco to Plastic Straw and Utensil Ban
Seattle's ban took effect Sunday, while San Franciso's proposed legislation, if successful, would begin July 1, 2019. Other cities have plastic straw restrictions, but Seattle's is the first outright ban. Compostable alternatives are permitted.
EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Resigns
Climate change denier Scott Pruitt, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, submitted his resignation on Thursday, to take effect July 6. On Monday, EPA Deputy Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler becomes the acting administrator.
An Appeal to Patriotism in the Hopes of Blocking a Canadian Bridge to Detroit
Border controversies now have a northern front, too.
Chicago Should Legalize A-Frame Signs, Alderman Says
A-frame sandwich board signs are illegal in Chicago, but they're widely used anyway.
L.A. Wants to Be the Epicenter of New Transportation Technology
Gabe Klein of CityFi outlines how Los Angeles is planning on implementing the Urban Mobility in a Digital Age report.
$2 Billion Bond Measure on California Ballot to House the Mentally Ill Homeless
The revenue bonds would be funded from a millionaires' surtax, approved by voters in 2004, to pay for health programs, but not housing, for the mentally ill. Also on ballot: a $4 billion general obligation bond measure to fund housing for veterans.
Koch Brothers Behind Local Transit Losses Nationwide
Public transit is increasingly a target of the Koch brothers' crusade against big government.
The New Supreme Court and the Future of Fair Housing
The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy introduces the possibility that a future court will overturn the doctrine of disparate impact central to fair housing practices and policies.
Georgia's Conservative Path to a Solar Power Boom
Georgia politics haven't usually been friendly to renewable energy. But some unlikely alliances, and a healthy dose of economics, can go a long way.
Breaking Up Stockbridge; Georgia Looks to Make a New, Richer Suburb
Vikki Consiglio wants to create “high-end” town, leaving debt and poorer residents behind.
Uber Gets its License Back, Still on Probation, in London
London gave Uber a more than a slap on the wrist for the company's lack of concern about public safety. Uber demonstrated sufficient contrition to get back in the large, influential city's good graces.
Google Tax to Appear on November Ballot in Mountain View, California
If a majority of the city's voters approve the city-sponsored ballot measure, business license fees will change from a flat $30 annual fee to a new tax based on the number of employees, with the largest employer, Google, to pay $3.3 million.
San Diego Not Even Close to Meeting Permanent Housing Goals for Homeless
The city’s new $6.5 million "bridge shelters" are providing a place to stay, but not accomplishing what they set out to do.
Big Oil Wins Climate Change Lawsuits
The courts are no place to be deciding on the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change, ruled a Northern California federal district court judge in a "stinging defeat" to San Francisco and Oakland that wanted Big Oil to pay mitigation costs.
More States Hoping to Monetize Highways
The commercialization of highway rights of way is largely prohibited by federal regulations, but states are looking for new ways to generate revenue from billboards and rest stops.
California Gas Tax Repeal Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot
The initiative is much more than whether to repeal taxes and fees enacted by the passage of the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 which brings in over $5 billion a year. The measure is a means to increase GOP turnout to retain House seats.
After Scrutiny Regarding Affordable Housing Policy, Emanuel Proposes New Chicago Department of Housing
Chicago's current housing policies aren't protecting or producing affordable housing in gentrifying areas, so Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing a restructuring of the government. Advocates are skeptical of the idea.
LA Times: City Council Should Take Responsibility for Lack of Transit Oriented Development
The Los Angeles Times editorial board has strong words for the Los Angeles City Council about planning for transit oriented development.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
