With several Portland neighborhoods adding overnight permit parking, the city will be tackling the issue of how to price the new permits.

What’s the best way to determine the cost of a parking permit? In Portland, the city’s consultant Nelson\Nygaard has advised that the decision should be made by city staff and not be left to elected officials where "conversations quickly get so emotional and irrational that they should never be argued at city council."
BikePortland’s Michael Anderson spoke to experts around town to get ideas about how an overnight permit parking program proposed for several neighborhoods can be implemented and priced fairly. The ideas, listed below, include proposals to allow residents to sell unneeded permits to nearby businesses or voluntarily pay more for each permit to help fund neighborhood infrastructure. The four ideas include:
- City staff could take an informed guess about the right permit price and see what happens
- The city could let neighborhood groups add to their district's permit price and use the money for things they want
- The city could let people resell permits they don't need
- The city could sell permits with a Vickrey auction
Portland's City Council will be holding a work session this week to discuss the city's parking reform process.
FULL STORY: How much should parking permits cost? Four ways the city could find out

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

How to Make US Trains Faster
Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.

Columbia’s Revitalized ‘Loop’ Is a Hub for Local Entrepreneurs
A focus on small businesses is helping a commercial corridor in Columbia, Missouri thrive.

Invasive Insect Threatens Minnesota’s Ash Forests
The Emerald Ash Borer is a rapidly spreading invasive pest threatening Minnesota’s ash trees, and homeowners are encouraged to plant diverse replacement species, avoid moving ash firewood, and monitor for signs of infestation.
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.
City of Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
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