Sharing Economy

How to Make the Sharing Economy Work for Governments

Gabe Klein discusses some of the merits and challenges of forging private-public partnerships between disruptive companies and government entities.

September 4, 2014 - Urban Land Magazine

Time to Find a Better Word than 'Sharing' for the New Economy

Abigail Zenner writes of the need to find new nomenclature, instead of "sharing," for transportation network companies like Uber, or sharing economy darlings like Airbnb.

July 21, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

New Data Quantifies the Reach of Airbnb

The San Francisco Chronicle published a sweeping portrait of Airbnb's operations within the city of San Francisco—from previously unreleased data to personal stories of renters.

June 20, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Chicago Regulates Uber and Lyft—but Not Enough to Satisfy Taxi Companies

The Chicago City Council passed an ordinance to regulate companies like Uber and Lyft, but taxi cab companies and their political supporters believe the policy set by the Emanuel Administration doesn't go far enough.

May 29, 2014 - Chicago Tribune

First State Legislature to Regulate Uber and Lyft: Colorado

Ivan Moreno reports for the Associated Press on the Colorado Legislature's approval of a bill to regulate transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar.

May 21, 2014 - AP via Denver Post

New App Would Auction Public Parking Spaces

The MonkeyParking app works similarly to sharing economy stars Airbnb or Uber, except for sale is an inside line on parking spaces. That means that private users would be auctioning the use of public space. That can't be legal, can it?

May 7, 2014 - Uptown Almanac

Is the Sharing Economy Succeeding Because the Real Economy is Struggling?

Money, not trust, is the driving force behind the willingness of so many people to open their doors to the sharing economy, according to one writer.

May 1, 2014 - New York Magazine

How the Sharing Economy Brings Strangers Together

Sharing economy companies encourage personal interactions to improve customer satisfaction and trust among users.

April 26, 2014 - Wired.com

Lyft

Veto Kills Uber and Lyft Regulation Exemptions in Arizona

While many states are rushing to figure out how to regulate transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar, Arizona came very close to exempting the companies from the taxi and limo regulations.

April 25, 2014 - Phoenix Business Journal

A Shot Across the Bow of the Shared Economy

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman penned an op-ed for the New York Times that specifically calls out Airbnb and Uber—two companies at the forefront of calls to regulate the emerging sharing economy.

April 24, 2014 - New York Times

Coming this Summer: Airbnb Will Collect Taxes in San Francisco, New York State

The ongoing saga of the tax and regulatory standing of Airbnb, the popular room rental app and poster child for the sharing economy, is evolving in San Francisco, Portland and the state of New York.

April 15, 2014 - SFGate

Airbnb’s 'Shared City' Program Will Collect, Remit Taxes

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently announced the beginning of the “Shared City” initiative, which will “cut red tape” and “collect and remit taxes.” Airbnb will test the program in Portland before tailoring and exporting the program to other cities.

March 30, 2014 - CNN Money - Fortune

New Study Claims Airbnb Is Fudging Its Numbers

Airbnb, arguably the most famous symbol of the sharing economy, has a court date with the New York State Attorney General in March. Meanwhile, a new report has evidence that Airbnb is fudging its numbers relevant to a key issue in the case.

February 14, 2014 - Skift

Have Internet, Will Travel—Just Not By Car

A new report from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund looks at how innovations in technology and social networking are changing the country's transportation landscape, and contributing to the decline in driving.

October 2, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Note to Home Builders and Car Companies: Millennials Want Experiences, Not Things

Noah Nelson explores the generational shift in the idea of ownership as Millennials ditch the traditional big ticket and consumer items - seemingly anything but a smartphone and food - for shared experiences.

August 21, 2013 - NPR

How the Internet is Helping Cities in the Western World to Loosen Up

While cities in the developing world embrace the chaos and risk inherent in their informal landscapes, the Western world excels at regulation. But this dynamic is starting to change, to the dismay of incumbent industries and establishment regulators.

June 26, 2013 - Next City

San Francisco Shares Responsibility for Building a Resilient City

The City of San Francisco announced this week that the numerous sharing economy companies headquartered in the the Bay Area will work with public officials to utilize their technologies in enhancing the city's disaster preparedness and response.

June 13, 2013 - City of San Francisco

Innovative Model Expands the Sharing Economy to Underserved Areas

Expanding car and bike share services beyond America's big cities and affluent demographics requires adaptability and old economy technologies. Buffalo CarShare is providing a model for success that even the big boys could learn from.

April 30, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

How Technology Is 'Amplifying the Benefits of Urban Density'

Edward L. Glaeser takes the recent purchase of Zipcar by Avis as the jumping-off point for an essay on the ways that technology, which once aided the sprawling suburban lifestyle, can now amplify the sharing of infrastructure by city dwellers.

January 11, 2013 - The Boston Globe

A Burning Man Guide to City Reinvention

After two decades of pushing the boundaries of what it means to build a community (both physically and spiritually), the annual Burning Man festival has a lot to teach municipalities about providing services and fostering participation.

August 21, 2012 - Shareable

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.