Government / Politics
The Vancouver Dream, The Vancouver Nightmare
Despite its reputation as a planner's dream, the city of Vancouver has incredibly high housing prices, which is part of the reason New Geography's Steve Lafleur calls it a middle class nightmare.
Private Buses Make a Comeback in NYC
Recent MTA budget cuts have forced New York City to axe a few of its bus routes, but they've had the effect of spurring a new wave of private bus initiatives.
Seeking Private Sponsors for Colosseum Renovation
The city of Rome is looking for a private sponsor to buy advertising rights on its historic Colosseum. The $33 million contract would pay for renovation on the site.
A Comparative Analysis of Land Use Controls
Various rules and regulations control the form of today's cities. This info graphic and article from re:place looks at how those systems control the urban environment and how they compare.
Ensuring Brazil's World Cup Investments Last Beyond 2014
The City Fix looks at a new report that focuses on how Brazil can create a long-term benefit from the billions its investing in the 2014 World Cup.
Learning From and Reshaping the Urban Food System
With her Foodprint project, Nicola Twilley wondered what one could learn about a city by looking at it through the lens of food. In this piece on Urban Omnibus she shares what she's learned.
Boosting Car-Sharing in San Francisco
By expanding its car-sharing requirements on new non-residential buildings, the city of San Francisco is looking to make car-sharing more viable and accessible in the transit-friendly city.
An Urban River Ignored
The James River runs right through downtown Richmond, Virginia. But with few public access points, the river is a largely ignored part of the urban realm.
L.A. Reforms Postwar Zoning Codes
The City of Los Angeles Planning Commission has reintroduced sweeping reform of the zoning codes in an effort to streamline planning processes. "This marks the first overhaul of codes since their last revision in 1946," said City Planner Alan Bell.
Power Balace to Shift From Nations to Cities
The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.
79% of Oil Still in Gulf, According to Researchers
Researchers estimate that roughly three-quarters of the oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico is still dangerously concentrated in the water, a claim that disputes official word from the government that much of the oil has been safely dispersed.
Sprawl and the Free Market
This piece from The Freeman looks at the debate over sprawl and whether free market economics encourage it or offer a solution.
Crowdsourcing the Master Plan
The city of Lincoln, Nebraska, is asking locals to submit and vote on ideas to integrate into its new master plan, hoping to get citizens more involved in the process and test out unconventional ideas.
Paying the Bill for High Speed Rail in California
The prospect of a high speed rail line connecting California's major cities has been appealing to many in the state. But with less than a quarter of the money needed for the project, the risks are hard to ignore.
Kelo Redux: Struggling Malls
The eminent domain case of Kelo vs. New London is seeing new relevance in cities across the country, as empty malls are being classified by locals as blight.
Spain the Model Train Citizen
As the U.S. eases itself into a national system of high speed trains, other nations seem to be decades ahead, especially Spain.
The Gradual Greening of Canadian Cities
Canadian cities like Montreal and Vancouver are riding the green train, aiming to transform themselves into some of the greenest cities in the world.
Atlanta's Regional Transportation Sales Tax Rankles Cities
Cities in Metropolitan Atlanta are rallying against a regional sales tax increase aimed at raising money for the area's transportation needs.
Slow Pace for Infrastructure Stimulus Funds
The White House has distributed less than a third of the nearly $230 billion set aside for big infrastructure projects, prompting criticism from Republicans.
Thinking Economically About Free Parking
This op-ed from The New York Times looks at the economics of free parking, and argues that many of those spaces should have a price tag.
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
