Social / Demographics

Local Officials Say Border Fences Will Harm Economy

Mayors and local officials along the Texas-Mexico border are angry that they were not included in a planning process to create more than 150 miles of fencing along the international border. Officials fear the fences will harm their local economies.

May 2, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

More Parks In U.S. Going Car-Free

One mile of road in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park will be closed to cars every Saturday this summer, just one of many examples of car-free zones that are being proposed in the U.S.

May 2, 2007 - The Christian Science Monitor

Do Broadband And New Urbanism Go Hand In Hand?

Speaking at a technology related conference, Andres Duany talks about how the rise of high-speed internet connections and telecommuting has increased the importance of social activity created by traditional neighborhood design.

May 2, 2007 - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Locals Oppose Towers Along Border

This report from NPR details local opposition to a Department of Homeland Security plan to erect watch towers along the Arizona-Mexico border.

May 2, 2007 - NPR

Big Brother Is Watching ... And Listening ... And Talking

Citing the popularity and success of closed-circuit television cameras that have been installed in many public places for crime-fighting purposes, politicians in the UK are considering attaching microphones and even loudspeakers to these cameras.

May 1, 2007 - BBC

Does Your Neighborhood Have A Blog?

A new survey finds that neighborhoods experiencing gentrification have a high number of people blogging about their community.

April 30, 2007 - The New York Times

Construction Begins On Nation's Largest Park For Disabled Children

In California, a huge team of volunteers is building the nation's largest playground for disabled children, equipped with slides and ramps wide enough for wheelchairs, rubber ground padding, and textured play surfaces for blind children.

April 30, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

India's Poor Displaced By Country's Industrialization

Land is being grabbed up all over India in efforts to industrialize the country and bring in foreign investment. The country's poor in these primarily agricultural areas are disproportionately affected by these acquisitions.

April 27, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

No More Mandatory Retirement For British Columbia

With Baby Boomers moving into their 60s and a significantly smaller population of younger workers, officials in British Columbia have passed a bill that will do away with the province's mandatory retirement age of 65.

April 27, 2007 - Times Colonist

Governor To Live Off Food Stamps

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has undertaken an experiment and social commentary stunt to survive on food stamps. He hopes his $21-a-week food budget will raise awareness of the plight of the low-income residents of his state.

April 26, 2007 - Statesman Journal

Minneapolis Wants To Move Bus Stops To Fight Downtown Crime

Increased crime in downtown Minneapolis around bus stops prompts the mayor, police and businesses to pressure the transit agency to move 7th Street's bus stops three blocks away from the downtown entertainment district.

April 26, 2007 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

Plan To Increase Prison Capacity Meets Criticism

Under pressure from federal judges, California has approved plans to build 53,000 new prison and jail beds as part of a $7.3 billion construction effort. Critics say increasing capacity does not address the reasons why prisons are overcrowded.

April 26, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Segregation Sends Women To The Back Of The Bus

Certain bus lines in Israel have an informal but strict practice of gender segregation, forcing women to sit in the back of the bus. Many women have protested this separation system, which is mainly enforced by riders in orthodox neighborhoods.

April 26, 2007 - BBC

Growing Children In The City

Children are integral to the urban environment, yet we have shrunk the places where they can play, grow and thrive. Creating natural environments where children are free to imagine and play without instruction and structure is critical to our future.

April 25, 2007 - The Financial Times, London

Can Ottawa Become 'Cool'?

Amid recent talk amongst Canadian officials about the future of Canada's capital city, Ottawa, some say the government city is too square to become an international destination. But others see a way for Ottawa to "swagger".

April 22, 2007 - The Ottawa Citizen

Protesting The Use Of Ancestral Lands

Mohawk Indians in Canada have parked a bus on a busy rail line, effectively cutting off transit between Toronto and Ottawa. They are protesting against the government's use of their ancestral land for gravel mining.

April 21, 2007 - BBC

Is Art Still Art If It's Public Art?

In an experiment to see what effect great art would have when placed out of context and in public space, acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell stood incognito in a Washington D.C. metro station, playing classical masterpieces during the morning commute.

April 21, 2007 - The Washington Post

Saving Money By Housing The Homeless

Housing advocates in British Columbia are pushing a "housing-first" policy to the local government as a way to combat homelessness and save money.

April 21, 2007 - Times Colonist

San Francisco Looks To Reverse Family-Flight Trend

Recently, a long-standing trend of family-flight from San Francisco seems to be reversing. The city hopes to retain more families in coming years, increasing the population of children and families back to peak amounts from nearly 50 years ago.

April 20, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Eyes In The Sky

The Venezuelan government has plans to operate three remote-controlled zeppelins equipped with video cameras to monitor the streets of Caracas, the country's capital, where crime is high. Many are wary of the government's "big brother" tactics.

April 20, 2007 - BBC

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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