Government / Politics
Vancouver Setting the Bar for Green Cities
Mayor Gregor Robertson was elected in December 2008 on a green platform, and the city could be on its way to being the greenest city in the world.
California Bill Seeks Sharp Cuts in Per-Capita Water Use
The state of California is looking to reduce its per-capita water usage 20% by 2020, a plan that's moving forward in the state legislature. The plan could mean drastic changes for many cities in the arid parts of the state.
Feds Take Action On Driving While Texting
Banning "DWT" - driving while texting, could soon become the next 'seat belt requirement' for states to avoid forfeiture of some of their federal highway funds if a Senate bill is to become law.
'Invisible' Cities Want Bigger Role in Climate Bill
Officials in big cities are expressing disappointment that the House-approved climate bill looks to state capitals for guidance, not the metropolitan areas the bill will largely impact.
Exporting the Impoverished
The City of New York has been spending thousands of dollars to send people out of the city -- opting to pay for one-way plane tickets instead of providing social services.
Herb-an Planning
Medical marijuana dispensaries are in high supply in Los Angeles. But without zoning regulations to determine where they should and should not go, the dispensaries are causing some concerns from locals.
Incentives for Energy Efficiency Expanding
The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration are looking to increase energy efficiency incentives for homeowners, including opportunities for larger home loans.
LA ExpressLanes (aka HOT Lanes) Toll Schedule Set
LA's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has set a toll 'schedule' for solo motorists on the new High Occupancy Toll, or 'ExpressLanes', as the MTA refers to them, on the 10 and 110 freeways. Opening date may be 2010.
LaHood To Congress: VMT-Reduction A 'Must' To Reduce Global Warming
Testifying to the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee on July 14, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood clearly states that fuel efficiency must be complemented with livable communities and transit to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.
Church Charged With Zoning Violation for Food Giveaway
A church in Phoenix has been ordered to stop giving out free food to the homeless, which the city says is out of compliance with the church's zoning.
Building Codes: Most Important Aspect of Climate Bill
Architect Edward Mazria looks at the climate bill heading to the Senate for approval and argues that its most important part is the section on building energy codes, which he calls "more powerful than 100 nuclear plants".
Transportation Bill Could Face Months-Long Delay
The federal transportation bill seems unlikely to pass any time soon, according to legislators. They have yet to reach any consensus about the mechanisms for funding the bill.
Stimulus Funds New Transit Projects, Doesn't Sustain Old Ones
The Obama administration has been touting its dedication of $48.1 billion in stimulus money to roads and transit projects. But it's all going towards new projects, not day-to-day operational needs.
New Jersey Planner Facing Corruption Charges
Jersey City senior planning aide Guy Catrillo has been charged with attempted extortion by the FBI as part of a broad corruption sting in the state.
Poticha Appointed to HUD Position
Shelley Poticha, President and CEO of Reconnecting America and past executive director of the Congress for New Urbanism, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Sabotaging the Smart Grid
James Surowiecki argues that state governments are sabotaging the economic recovery, and simultaneously sinking the creation of a smart energy grid.
Tracking Metropolitan Unemployment
A recent report from The Brookings Institution examines unemployment trends in the urban and suburban areas of the top 100 metropolitan areas in the U.S., mainly by looking at the demand for "safety net" services.
Three Year Deadline to Find New Water for Georgia
The drama over water between Florida, Alabama and Georgia is heating up, as a U.S. District Court ruled recently that Georgia's withdrawals from Lake Lanier are illegal. It's going to have to find a new source of water -- and inter-state cooperation.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu Entertains Daily Show's Jon Stewart
While the Comedy Show's Jon Stewart can't get too excited about “Cap & Trade,” Secretary of Energy Steven Chu does his best to explain the importance of the Waxman-Markey climate legislation to him.
Solving Scarce Parking With 'Benefit Districts'
Transportation planners in San Francisco are proposing "parking benefit districts" where residents control pricing and boundaries to make parking easier in the congested city.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
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
