Government / Politics
Detroit Cuts Deal to Avoid State Takeover
Just 24 hours before Governor Snyder's deadline for appointing an emergency manager for Detroit to help rein in its budgetary troubles, the city council has voted to approve a consent agreement with the State of Michigan.
Asking What Comes Next, as Maryland Tries to Move Beyond Sprawl
McKay Jenkins looks at the challenges confronting Maryland as the state tries to reckon with the devastating consequences of the era of sprawl and prepare for an additional one million people over the next twenty five years.
A Precipitous Price Drop for California's High-Speed Rail
Knowing that a $100 billion project stood a poor chance of passing muster in a budget-conscious state legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown shaved off $30 billion by using a "blended rail" strategy in the Bay Area and South Coast, i.e. sharing tracks.
Public Water Works! to Grow Jobs, Protect the Environment
With a $600 billion investment gap facing the tap, citizens, organizations, and elected officials call for a renewed commitment to protect access to safe drinking water on World Water Day at Los Angeles City Hall.
Historic Agreement Reached To Fund Caltrain Electrification
An agreement has been reached to electrify Caltrain from San Jose to San Francisco, using early investment High-Speed Rail funds, but will Bay Area HSR opponents take notice?
Transportation Shutdown Adverted, For Now, But What's In Store?
Rather than take up the Highway Bill passed by the Senate two weeks ago, the House today passed a 90-day extension of SAFETEA-LU, the ninth extension of transportation legislation since 2009, reports Todd Zwillich.
What Will It Take to Win the Global Competition Between Cities?
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, someone who may know a thing or two about running a successful city, pens an opinion piece examining what it takes to succeed in the global competition for people, visitors, and business.
England Revises Its National Planning Policy Framework
BBC News reports on recent moves to reform and simplify England's nationwide planning policy framework, which is used to guide planning at the local level.
Making Regulatory Reform Work in Seattle
Although Seattle's downtown redevelopment may be receiving plaudits, Chuck Wolfe describes efforts underway to rethink land use regulations on a broader level in the city, with jobs in mind.
House Transportation Extension Pulled As Deadline Nears
Late yesterday House Republicans withdrew plans to hold a vote on a proposed 90-day transportation bill extension, dragging Congress closer towards gridlock as the March 31st deadline nears, reports Todd Zwillich.
Are Liberals and Conservatives Fighting Each Other's Land Use Battles?
In his book, The Rent Is Too Damn High, Matthew Yglesias encourages us to reexamine our assumptions about which urban policies our values really support.
A Deadlocked Washington Leaves Export-Oriented Growth Up To Cities
Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institute explains the importance of exports to a metro region's economy. As the US Federal Government remains politically frozen, how can American cities grow economically by fostering trade partnerships across the world?
Ford's Subway Scheme Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
Yesterday was a bad day for Toronto mayor Rob Ford as his quest to see a proposed streetcar for Sheppard Avenue East replaced with a subway to to Scarborough was dashed by the City Council. Kelly Grant has the details.
Hitting The Sweet Spot In Regional Planning
The Sacramento, California, region may be witnessing a minor planning miracle: a regional sustainability plan lauded by developers, environmentalists, and civic officials alike.
Seeking Visions for the Future of Design and Planning in NYC
Looking back on the remarkable transformation of urban life in New York during Mayor Bloomberg's administration, William Menking wonders what the next mayor will do to support design and planning in the city.
Cities Reach Out to Private Sector to Solve Fiscal Challenges
Kirk Victor examines the new and risky roads many cities are taking to get immediate access to capital in order to finance their fiscal challenges.
Poverty Soars in the Suburbs
Lisa McGirr looks at the growing challenge of suburban poverty, which in the last decade has climbed by 25 percent (almost five times faster than cities), and the larger trends that it signifies.
Santorum Picks a Fight with Urban America
Sarah Wheaton and Richard A. Oppel Jr. report on a new line of attack against the urban favoring economic policies of his own party, being utilized by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in an effort to motivate his followers.
City Hacking Goes Mainstream
Within the last six months, two forward thinking American cities have created new positions for Chief Innovation Officers, with a mission to connect city hall with a new generation of problem-solvers outside of it, reports Emily Badger.
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
