Government / Politics

Small Urban Farms Show Success In Cuba

Small organic farms are scattered throughout Cuba that have been providing food for the country ever since the fall of the Soviet empire 20 years ago. The collaboration between the government and local farmers has benefited the whole country.

August 11, 2006 - The Independent

FEMA Awards Housing Contracts For Katrina Work

Based on quality of plans and competitiveness of bidding, billions of dollars in housing contracts were awarded to six companies, some with immediate political ties to the current administration.

August 11, 2006 - Yahoo! News

Property Tax Increases Outstrip Personal Income Growth

Nationwide, the rise of personal property tax bills has nearly doubled as compared to the level of personal income in the years 2000-2004.

August 11, 2006 - The New York Times

The City of Brotherly Love...And Gambling

Philadelphia is set to become the largest city in the nation with casinos, but boosters worry that the gaming venues won't fit with the city's recent revitalization.

August 10, 2006 - The Next American City

Giving Teens A Say In Community Plans

Teenagers in Providence, Rhode Island, are getting a taste of classic planning issues.

August 8, 2006 - Rhode Island News

Inclusionary Housing Doesn't Work

An economist with the National Association of Home Builders argues that government mandated inclusionary housing has good goals but negative consequences.

August 8, 2006 - The Orlando Sentinel

Why High Gas Prices Haven't Affected Driving Behavior

As gasoline prices settle at $3/gallon, oil consumption continues to climb.

August 8, 2006 - The Denver Post

California Fuel Tax Proposal Called Into Question

The proposed measure, which would raise taxes on petrol to fund conservation and alternative energy efforts, is under fire due to benefits it would provide one of its major backers.

August 7, 2006 - The Sacramento Bee

Small Town Leading Efforts To Be More Inclusive

Bluffton, Indiana, is one of many small cities across the country making renewed efforts towards creating racial harmony in hopes of spurring economic development.

August 7, 2006 - USA Today

Global Warming Bill Represents A Quandary For Shwarzenegger

Having just signed an historic environmental accord with PM Blair, CA Gov. Schwarzenegger will soon face a bill that ties him to his rhetoric - the first bill in the nation to cap greenhouse gas emissions, that has been targeted by Big Business.

August 7, 2006 - The Associated Press via The Desert Sun

Americans Disapprove Of Bush's Environmental Policies

Poll finds majority of Americans are unhappy with the Bush administration's environmental policies.

August 7, 2006 - Abhijeet Chavan

Urban Fables: The Role Of Storytelling And Imagery In Successful Planning Movements

New Urbanists and pro-property rights advocates have made good use of both allegory and myth to capture the attention of planners and the public.

August 7, 2006 - Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP

Property Rights Votes Face Six States

Libertarians are pushing ballot initiatives in six Western states to vastly reduce the government's power to regulate land uses. The initiatives seek to limit regulatory takings of land by requiring the government to compensate owners for any losses.

August 7, 2006 - High Country News

Markets Attack, Or, Why Plan?

UCLA planning professor and blogger Randall Crane revisits the markets vs planning debate, but this time from a position of moral and intellectual superiority.

August 7, 2006 - Randall Crane's Urban Planning Research

How The Casinos Hit The Jackpot In Biloxi

Despite a critical housing shortage and badly needed road repairs, the city of Biloxi sees an influx of casinos due to a change in state legislation.

August 7, 2006 - The Wall Street Journal via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Michigan County Hopes To Preserve Farmland

Rural Lapeer County, near Flint, Michigan, is proposing to use public money to compensate farmers in exchange for limiting new residential and commercial development.

August 6, 2006 - WJRT ABC 12

Ten Principles for Creating Value from Local Government Property

Local authorities in the UK are responsible for around £130 billion of real estate. Arguably, this asset base represents the largest untapped resource in local government.

August 6, 2006 - Urban Land Institute

Gentrification: The New York Experience

A new book from Columbia University Professor Lance Freeman documents the changes of two African-American communities in New York City.

August 4, 2006 - National Public Radio

Chechnya Works To Revitalize

Despite a still tenuous political situation, this war-battered region in the Northern Caucasuses of Russia is beginning to show signs of life.

August 4, 2006 - National Public Radio

New Urbanism Hits The Mainstream In Britain

Backed by government support, Britain's land use laws are bringing new urbanism to the mainstream.

August 3, 2006 - The Economist

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.