With a decisive win in his re-election, Mayor Bloomberg spoke to his priorities for his final term as chief of the the US's largest city in his second inaugural address on New Year's Day: Affordable housing and the World Trade Center.
"...[S]ignaling a stronger involvement in the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after shying away from the issue for much of his first term, the mayor fired what seemed to be a shot across the bow
of those who oppose residential development around ground zero. (Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who wants to focus on commercial development, was conspicuously absent yesterday; Gov. George E. Pataki attended.)
"We'll quicken the pace of rebuilding here in Lower Manhattan, creating a sustainable residential and commercial community," he said. "By giving New York a genuine 21st-century downtown, we'll ensure that this, our historic birthplace, once again captures the imagination and admiration of people around the globe."
"Much of Mr. Bloomberg's speech was a restatement of some of his larger campaign promises, like the planned construction of 165,000 units of housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers, and plans to foster more new small businesses and to lure more biotechnology companies to the city."
FULL STORY: Bloomberg Begins His Second Term

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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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.
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service