Government / Politics

Municipalities Organize To Comply With New Runoff Rules

As new storm water runoff regulations begin to apply to the smaller municipalities in Wisconsin, many communities are looking to join forces to create regional ordinances and tax schemes that will enable them to comply.

February 16, 2007 - Onalaska Community Life

Eminent Domain's 'Devastating' Impact On African-Americans

Study concludes that eminent domain has evolved into a tool for the 'rich and the powerful" to take from the 'poor and politically weak'.

February 16, 2007 - Castle Coalition

Where's The New Deal For Canada's Cities?

As Canada's political landscape has changed over the past few years, so too has the federal approach to Canada's cities.

February 16, 2007 - CPRN

Planning And The 'New People Power'

Local governments and citizens are finding that tackling community problems requires new forms of deliberative democracy.

February 15, 2007 - Tom Paine

Painting Bush Green

How the White House is portraying President Bush as a longtime supporter of the efforts to combat global warming.

February 15, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

New Orleans Unified Plan Leaves Neighborhoods Stranded

The Unified New Orleans Plan was supposed to unite seven separate, and often competing, official Hurricane Katrina rebuilding plans. But it has not been able to sidestep the controversial need to align the physical city to its shrunken population.

February 14, 2007 - Bloomberg News

Tenant Holds Out Against Eminent Domain For Phoenix Light Rail

As plans push forward for the construction of a light rail system in Phoenix, Arizona, one man has refused to vacate the final property local governments need to acquire through eminent domain to complete the project.

February 14, 2007 - The Arizona Republic

Miami's McMansion Moratorium

A measure has been passed in South Miami that places a moratorium of construction of new two-story houses -- a measure aimed at preventing development of oversized homes, or McMansions.

February 14, 2007 - The Miami Herald

Canada's Cities Facing Fiscal Crisis

A new report from the Conference Board of Canada says that Canada's cities are neglected and disempowered, and need more taxing power of their own and more direct investments from other levels of government.

February 12, 2007 - The Globe & Mail

Georgia Lawmakers Look To Block Rail Line

In an effort to stop the creation of a 26-mile commuter rail line connecting Atlanta to numerous suburbs, Georgia lawmakers are hoping to pass a bill requiring voters in each city and county along the proposed line to individually approve funding.

February 11, 2007 - Henry Daily Herald

Shortage Of Planners In Iraq Reconstruction Efforts

The U.S. State Department is having trouble filling positions in reconstruction teams in Iraq. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says there is a shortage of city planners and engineers on the ground in Iraq, and getting more may be difficult.

February 11, 2007 - NPR

Will Commuter Rail Happen In Southeast Michigan?

In order to alleviate congestion and auto-dependency, mass transportation proponents are working diligently to develop southeast Michigan's first commuter rail line.

February 10, 2007 - Model D

How To Build Support For Sustainable Planning And Development

Liberal Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has been successfully building support for smart growth during his seven years at the helm of this conservative city. Grist sits down with the Mayor to learn the secret of his success.

February 9, 2007 - Grist

GOP Strategist Outlines Communication Failures Of Environmentalists

In this interview from Grist, GOP strategist Frank Luntz discusses why environmentalists fail to get their message across to their opponents.

February 9, 2007 - Grist

Sustainability: Planning's Redemption or Curse?

February 8, 2007 - Michael Gunder, PhD

Many Factors Delay Disbursement Of Gulf Recovery Funds

This report from NPR looks at the many factors that are delaying the disbursement of recovery and housing funds to hurricane victims in the Gulf Coast region.

February 7, 2007 - NPR

Rebuilding America's Cities

It's not just New Orleans: cities across America need help. What's needed is the political will to do it.

February 6, 2007 - Tom Paine

California's Golden Opportunity To Reshape Growth

With $40 billion dollars of bond money for transportation, housing and parks at his disposal, Governor Schwarzenegger could reshape the state's growth patterns and make good on his promises to reduce greenhouse gases, argues William Fulton.

February 5, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Homeless Housing Subsidy Program Under Fire In New York

A housing rights advocacy group in New York has released a report accusing the city of placing homeless people into substandard housing as part of a rent-subsidy program.

February 4, 2007 - The New York Times

Market-Based Incentives To Cut Greenhouse Gases

Garrett Gruener and Daniel M. Kammen propose letting individual taxpayers decide how to curb global warming.

February 3, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.