Government / Politics

Detroit's municipal financial crisis may force the city to sell some of its most venerable assets including Belle Isle, City Airport, and even the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, reports Darren A. Nichols.

February 13, 2012 - The Detroit News

NewPublicHealth recently published an interview with HUD’s Raphael Bostic on the nexus between Housing Policy and Public Health, and the steps the Feds are taking to improve people's health through housing.

February 13, 2012 - New Public Health

Calling it "uniquely terrible", the Times questions whether it will even survive a full floor vote in the House. The editorial lists three major problems with the bill, but notes there are many more.

February 10, 2012 - The New York Times - The Opinion Pages

As the bi-partisan Senate transportation bill cues up for its first vote on Thursday and the partisan House bill gets roughed up in committee, the prospects for reconciling the bills seems dim.

February 8, 2012 - The Washington Post

President Obama's multi-billion dollar proposal to help homeowners involves providing them refinanced, government-backed loans. The plan is not without its doubters, however.

February 7, 2012 - PBS NewsHour

At the Transport Politic, Yonah Freemark provides a comprehensive overview of the 'all-out ideaoligical battle' being waged by the House GOP against public transit.

February 6, 2012 - the transport politic

The 'lamestream media' picks up the story of Tea Party activists railing against efforts to control sprawl and conserve energy.

February 6, 2012 - The New York Times

Brad Plumer investigates widely echoed Republican claims that environmental rules are a major reason why it takes so long to build highways and bridges, and finds scant evidence to back up the claims.

February 6, 2012 - The Washington Post

Having promised a new and progressive direction in urban policy, President Obama has instead been "destructive" for America's cities, argues Yana Kunichoff.

February 4, 2012 - Truthout

Treasury Secretary Ray LaHood warned Congress that according to a recent Congressional Budget Office report, the Highway Trust Fund will be broke come fiscal year 2014, due largely to more fuel-efficient vehicles and less driving.

February 4, 2012 - The Hill's Transportation Blog

In order to educate its citizens on how budgeting decisions are made, and inform decision makers on the priorities of its citizens, Calgary has engaged in an ambitious outreach process to get citizens to participate in drafting the city's budget.

February 3, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

In a surprise move this week, Vancouver's city council abruptly relieved its high-profile Planning Director, Brent Toderian, of his duties, after six years on the job. Planetizen has spoken with the former director about what transpired.

February 2, 2012 - Straight.com

With no last minute pardons granted, yesterday marked the official dissolution date for California's 400-plus redevelopment agencies. Curbed LA has gathered the essential readings to guide you through the 'developments' at the state and local levels.

February 2, 2012 - Curbed LA

Deputy Mayor for Transportation Borja Leon provides insight into the Mayor's plans for ramping up implementation of Measure R funded projects if the Federal Government fails to back his America Fast Forward program.

February 2, 2012 - Streetsblog L.A.

The long awaited Transportation bill unveiled this week by House Republicans, the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act,” follows an unsurprisingly partisan path to solving few of the country's transportation challenges.

February 2, 2012 - Streetsblog Capitol Hill

In an opinion piece, noted economist Jeffrey Sachs explores what it will take to achieve the 'triple bottom line' of sustainable development, which the UN puts at the top of the global agenda.

February 1, 2012 - Project Syndicate

The city’s MillionTrees program fights asthma and global warming. But tightening maintenance budgets, increasingly severe weather and decades-old planting decisions complicate trees’ contribution.

February 1, 2012 - City Limits

A lawsuit based on the Americans With Disabilities Act may leave Los Angeles responsible for over a billion dollars' worth of crumbling sidewalks.

January 31, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Is it justified to believe that a proposed SoHo business improvement district, widely embraced elsewhere in the city, would only attract more hordes of visitors and non-residents? Proponents say that residents are fear-mongering.

January 30, 2012 - The New York Times

Just a year into his term, Christopher Hume delivers a scathing critique of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his pro-vehicular policies.

January 30, 2012 - Toronto Star