The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Calling for a New Approach to Flood Mitigation
The American Planning Association was one of 14 national organizations to sign a letter of support for S.1507, which would partner states and the federal government in providing low-interest loans for stormwater infrastructure projects.

Upzoning of Seattle's Single-Family Zoning Called a 'Disappointing Half-Measure'
A critical analysis of a proposal that would incrementally increase density in parts of Seattle.

Houston Controller Finds Fault with Key Economic Development Program
A new report finds that Houston might not be holding private partners accountable for promised infrastructure improvements.

Ford Motor Company Considering Big Move to Historic Detroit
If Ford Motor Co. goes through with a plan to move into the old Michigan Central Depot, it would mark a new phase of the rebirth of Detroit's urban core.

Outcomes of the Federal Highway Program: Inequality and Polarization
It's a vicious cycle: highways enable white flight, establishing a power base for a political party opposed to urban transportation systems.

Omnibus Spending Bill Expands Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Missed among the coverage of the federal Omnibus Bill on Friday of last week: a long-awaited expansion of the Low Income Tax Credit.

National League of Cities to Study State Preemption of Local Laws
The mission of the National League of Cities is to advocate for cities—and the organization is now gathering evidence to push back on growing amount of state preemption of local control.

A Call to Broaden the Definition of 'Real Planning'
Deland Chan, a lecturer in the Urban Studies program at Stanford University and co-founder of the Stanford Human Cities Initiative, makes the case for a bigger tent for planners and planning.

As Climate Shifts, Cincinnati Mayor Boosts Solar Investments
The Ohio city recently announced a plan to build the nation's largest municipally owned onsite solar array. The plan builds on a decade of increasingly ambitious climate action.

Energy Demand and Carbon Emissions Increased in 2017, Just Not Everywhere
The International Energy Agency found that China and India were responsible for 40 percent of the increased energy demand. The biggest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions came from the U.S., largely due to increased use of renewables.

FEATURE
The Legacy of Housing Discrimination Still Haunts Minorities
The practice of redlining was outlawed in 1977, but its effects have been indelible.

New Lyft Program Puts a 'Geofence' Around Busy Streets
The Lyft geofencing pilot in San Francisco will direct drivers to less busy side streets for pick ups and drop offs.

Texas Designates 628 Opportunity Zones
The state of Texas gives an early indication of the potential scale of the new Opportunity Zones program—an emerging program that will be rolling out across the country in the coming days and weeks.

BLOG POST
Autonomous Vehicle Reality
Planners must be realistic. Autonomous vehicles will probably provide smaller net benefits, including safety benefits, than optimists predict.

The American Eviction Epidemic
According to a new report, a U.S. "eviction epidemic" is connected to a growing number of homeless people.

Value Capture Replaces Congestion Pricing as Governor Cuomo's Subway Funding Fix
Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) appears to be backing away from a controversial plan to toll midtown Manhattan but shows no reservations about embracing land value capture, which some regard as a "taking" by taxing land proximate to subway stations.

How One Lake Erie Town Got Free Waterfront Property for Public Use
Clear communication and a fair trade let Euclid, Ohio begin to rethink its lakefront—and its future.

Houston's Latest Stormwater Project: 'Massive, Underground Tunnels'
The most recent post-Harvey proposal would mean the city could endure enormous rain events, but so far it's not clear who would pay for it.

Minneapolis Draft Comprehensive Plan Revealed
The city of Minneapolis is deploying many of the most contemporary planning tools as it works toward approval of the Minneapolis 2040 plan.

BLOG POST
All the Environmental Benefits of Modular Buildings
There is plenty of evidence for modular construction as a key component of a green economy.
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