Government / Politics
The Dark Side of the Rust Belt Revival
Cities in flyover country are facing new redevelopment challenges as companies relocate from costly coastal cities. In St. Louis, downtown revitalization has also brought plans to tackle blight, and the consequences for residents could be immense.
Atlanta Pedestrian Bridge—Not a Good Example of Public Dollars Well Spent
The bridge was touted as a connection between downtown and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but it is more a reflection of the city’s misplaced fiscal and planning priorities.
A Comedian's Brutal Takedown of Public Transportation's Failures
The Netflix show Patriot Act, starring Hasan Minhaj, assigns blame for the current state of public transit.
A New Kind of Planning Controversy: the Emoji House
A complaint about an illegal Airbnb, a very visual response, and a headache for city officials in the city of Manhattan Beach, California.
High Cost of Maintenance Prompts Wyoming Legislators to Consider Tolling I-80
Over the objections of the oil and trucking industries, an interim committee voted to allow the Wyoming legislature to determine whether to toll all lanes on Interstate 80 due to a shortfall in the state transportation budget.
Shared Mobility Subsidies Dry Up, Revealing the Industry’s Economic Realities
Companies are looking to generate profits, but customers have come to expect low-cost, subsidized travel and raising prices will prove challenging.
Planning Department Study Documents Storefront Vacancy in NYC Neighborhoods
A new report from the New York Department of City Planning has found that storefront vacancy may not be a one-answer citywide problem. Vacancies were found to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods, and the reasons appear to be varied.
Columbia River Crossing Project Officially Back From the Dead
Oregon took a substantive step toward reviving efforts to replace the aging Interstate Bridge that links the state with Washington.
Seattle Residents Wary of Urban Greening Efforts
Parts of the city desperately need more trees, but some residents worry about the long-term effects of tree planting in neighborhoods.
Washington State to Decide on Transition From Gas Tax to Road Usage Charge
Having completed a pilot program last year, the Washington State Transportation Commission will hear a report in October and vote in December on phasing out its 49.4 cents per gallon gas tax, fourth highest in the nation but not indexed to inflation.
Renewable Natural Gas Makes Inroads in California, Oregon, and Missouri
What is expected to be the nation's largest dairy biogas operation opened in the Central Valley. To the north, Gov. Kate Brown signed the nation's first bill to establish goals to add renewable gas to pipelines, and pigs in Missouri also made news.
Opinion: It’s Time Zoning Laws Reflected the Real World
Current zoning restrictions hearken back to an America that long longer exists. It’s time to update codes and stop perpetuating housing segregation and inequality.
Controversial N.Y.C. Housing Program Under Fire
The Third Party Transfer program lets the city transfer ownership of delinquent properties, but it unfairly targets communities of color, say critics.
Denied: No Sitting on Rome's Spanish Steps
Rome's Spanish Steps are no longer a place for sitting.
Maurice Cox Departs Detroit to Lead Planning Chicago
The highly praised head of planning in Detroit will assume the same role in Chicago.
S.F. Bay Area's Caltrain Proposes Major Expansion
The agency wants to increase service and extend its infrastructure to move Caltrain from a commuter rail system to an integrated urban transit network.
The Elite Helicopter Commutes of N.Y.C.
Helicopters are an exclusive mode that lets those who can afford it avoid the time and inconveniences of on-the-ground travel. But, say critics, it just highlights the gap between the city's haves and have-nots.
California Takes Step Toward Replacing Gas with Electricity in Buildings
Two weeks after Berkeley became the nation's first city to outlaw natural gas lines in new buildings, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to update an old regulation to allow funding for 'fuel switching' from gas to electric appliances.
Scoop: Koch Brothers Connections to Phoenix Anti-Transit Initiative Revealed
New evidence reveals the deep involvement of Koch Industries funding in the Phoenix anti-light rail campaign.
The Sustainability Challenges of E-Scooters
Scooters have helped diversify the mobility landscape, but companies need to better address the recycling and reuse process and the environmental impacts of defunct devices.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
