The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

10 Great Places to Get High—As in Views of the City
Every U.S. city has high rises, but not all are created for tourists looking for great views. An L.A. County planner describes ten of his favorite towers for lofty views.
Predatory Loans Lawsuit Alleges Discrimination in Atlanta
Contract-for-deed mortgages, which don't give home buyers ownership of a home until they pay off the entire loan, are legal, but a lawsuit alleges the ones made by Harbour Portfolio Advisors violated the Fair Housing Act.

Investing in the 'Smart Cities' Approach to Bike Planning
Smart cities tech isn't just for cars. Portland is out to prove that sensors and data can benefit all modes of travel.

Global Reverberations from EPA Rollback of Fuel Economy Standards
Relaxed U.S. fuel economy standards, as Environmental Protection Administration chief Scott Pruitt announced on April 2, would have effects extending far beyond the United States.

New Scrutiny for the Federal 'Opportunity Zones' Program
Opportunity Zones—a new federal program that flew under the radar of the GOP tax reform bill signed at the end of 2017—has been moving along and attracting new attention from media outlets.

DUI Arrests in Chicago Continue to Decline. Did Ride Hailing Do That?
Some credit a drop in DUI arrests in the city of Chicago to drunks using ride hailing services.

Retail Space Shrinking Again in 2018
Because of closures at big box stores like Toys R US, 2018 will see total retail space down sharply even while the number of store closures is small compared to last year.

Review: Philadelphia's Iconic Love Park Gets a Major Makeover
Architecture Critic Inga Saffron gives a less-than-stellar review of the newly revealed revamp of Philadelphia's Love Park.

Study Predicts the 'Amazon Effect' of HQ2 on Rents
Spoiler alert: the rent will go up in whatever city Amazon chooses for the site of its second headquarters.

800 New Homes Approved for Houston's Floodplain
The city of Houston approved a new development that doesn't meet new elevations standards approved by the city of Houston earlier this month.

Could Los Angeles Have Made Better Use of Former Redevelopment Funds?
After a state decision to abolish California's redevelopment agencies seven years ago, Los Angeles still received some of that money, directing it to city services instead of affordable housing.

HUD Proposal Would Triple Rent for Subsidized Households
The proposal by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson would also allow property owners to require employment from renters receiving housing subsidies.

St. Louis Groups Come Together to Form Neighborhood Vacancy Coalition
Legal and community groups in St. Louis align to curb ill-effects of the city's many vacant properties.

Chattanooga to Redevelop City-Owned Properties to Keep Innovation District Momentum
Two underutilized buildings have been proposed as a catalyst for inclusive development in the Edney Innovation District.

How the U.S. Could End Traffic Fatalities by 2050
Taking Vision Zero beyond the local level.

Before and After: Behind a Minneapolis Redevelopment Project
In 1997, Milwaukee Road Depot in central Minneapolis was filled with parking lots and little else. Today, it's a mix of shops, housing, offices, and entertainment venues.

Time for a Tesla Turnaround?
The Tesla Model 3 is now America's best-selling electric vehicle. The news follows a spate of bad news for the Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle manufacturer.

Confronting the Eviction Epidemic
An ongoing exhibit at the National Building Museum is designed to make visitors lose sleep over the scope of evictions in the United States, as well as the experience of evictions at the personal level.

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Can 'Ocean Cities' Become the Societies of the Future?
Futuristic, eco-friendly cities can be greener and more eco-friendly, thanks to better use of natural resources.

A New Wave of Reservoir Construction Set to Begin in California
Two massive water storage projects have been awarded $2.6 billion in funding from Proposition 1.
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