Government / Politics
One of Trump's First Actions Comes From HUD
A reduction of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) annual mortgage insurance premium rates was scheduled to take effect on January 27. One of the Trump Administration's first actions was to suspend the reduction.
China Cancels 103 Coal Power Plants; Still Has Too Much Coal Capacity
The cuts mean that China is on target to meet its coal power generation limit for year 2020. But even with the cancellations, China will have surplus coal power resulting in underutilization of renewable power due to preference for coal by utilities.
Trump Budget Blueprint Would Nix Federal Transit Spending
Reports from inside the Trump transition are that the incoming administration will follow a budget blueprint laid out by the Heritage Foundation—public transit not included.
Farewell to the Obama Administration
A roundup of articles summarizing the final days of the Obama Administration, as well as a peek at Planetizen's eight-year archive of President Obama's policies in the world of planning.
Bikeshare Competitor Warned Not to Come to San Francisco
Seattle, which will be losing it's bikeshare program after just over two years, may wish to have San Francisco's problem: a second bikeshare company wants to enter the marketplace, though without permits.
Op-Ed: On the Pitfalls of Federal Spending
Charles Marohn of Strong Towns makes the case that whoever's in the White House, simply increasing federal spending on infrastructure isn't the wisest move.
EPA Rejects Automakers' Bid to Reduce Fuel Economy Standards in Midterm Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that existing technology allows for increased efficiency in model years 2022 to 2025. The 2011 rule to achieve 54.5 mpg by 2025 required a 'midterm evaluation' to see if the final target was achievable.
Planning and the Alt Right in the Time of Trump
The rise of white nationalist politics has many implications for the ideas of a just city.
How Chicago Got its Cultural Center
The history of the Chicago Cultural Center, "the nation's first and most comprehensive free municipal cultural venue," offers insight into the shifting relationships between culture, politics, and money in the third-largest city in the United States.
North Dakota Law Would Make it Legal to Run Over Protestors
A bill proposed by a Republican lawmaker in North Dakota will shift forgive motorists any liability if they to run over pedestrians "negligently" occupying a freeway.
How a European Capital Moved Toward Sustainable Transportation
How did Vienna, Austria, substantially reduce car trips while increasing bicycling and trips taken by public transportation over 25 years? A new paper published in the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation provides answers.
The County Transportation Authority That Saved the Caltrain Electrification Project
Up against an unexpected federal requirement to produce substantially more funds for a crucial rail project, San Mateo County's transportation authority showed the importance of "self-help" counties that control local transportation sales tax funds.
Tenants and Landlords Battling in Oregon
2017 has all the makings of a classic showdown in Oregon, where the state legislature will consider to policies that deeply divide the interest interests of tenants and landlords.
5 Ways Cities Will Counter the Populist Movement
A list of the ways cities will resist the anti-urban politics of the populist movements represented by President-elect Donald Trump and Brexit.
Gov. Jerry Brown Restricts Funds for Affordable Housing in New Budget
California's recent rains brought relief to a large part of the water-starved state, but another drought of a political nature hasn't seen relief—the will of coastal municipalities to permit more housing. Brown outlined a way for new funding.
Bubble Burst Strategy No. 1: Do Something. Now.
Ben Brown on placemaking implications of today's politics
'Define Each and Every Acronym'
A participant in some of Seattle's most consequential planning processes puts out a call for a more inclusive use of language.
Sitting on the Walls Prohibited in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square
The list of prohibitions for the use of public spaces grows—this time to the seemingly innocuous and park-perfect activity of sitting.
First on Chicago's Wish List from the Trump Administration: $1 Billion for Union Station
The Emanuel Administration has yet to secure needed funding for a big project to update Chicago's Union Station. Now it's up to the Trump Administration to supply a needed loan.
Review of November 2016 Transportation Ballot Measures
About 50 transportation measures appeared on local ballots on November 8, 2016. To date, Planetizen reviewed outcomes in nine regions in six states. Here we compare the measures in terms of revenue, taxes, projects, and reasons for failure.
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
