7/30/2011

NIMBY NATION


NIMBY Not In My Back Yard



NIMBY Nation: Mad as hell and I don’t blame ‘em. For now.

  • GOOD NIMBYS

    Good NIMBYs
    NIMBY action as a force for communal good. Courtesy of Scott Doyon.
  • TRUST

    Trust
    Trust in positive change is a limited commodity. Courtesy of Scott Doyon.

Scott Doyon, New Urban Network

You know, I gotta give NIMBYs their due. In many instances, their tireless efforts have kept the world from becoming a worse place, and that’s no small feat. But, sadly, it’s not their only accomplishment.

They’ve also kept the world from becoming a better place.

Welcome to the problem with NIMBYs. Their reactionary nature can’t tell the difference between bad change and good. And that’s a problem if you’ve any hope for building better communities.

Early on, NIMBY action centered around large, substantive initiatives with no shortage of arguable downsides. Nuclear plants. Landfills. Toxic industry. Projects universally loathed no matter where you went.


Al Queda Disses American Infrastructure



Friday Funny: America's Declining Infrastructure Repels Al Queda



An Al Queda spokesperson says that they refuse to attack any U.S. bridges or any part of the transportation system because they're already in such a poor state no one will notice.
From The Onion, the Al Queda representative demands that American politicians build "...efficient and reliable modes of public transport to reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, improve air quality, and supply suitable targets for terrorists."
Evidently plans to attack America's high-speed rail system were in the works, but Al Queda leaders were "...shocked to discover no such thing exists."
Source: The Onion, July 28, 2011



7/29/2011

APAPlanningBooks.com


APAPlanningBooks.com
Timely titles on housing issues
Foreclosing the DreamForeclosing the Dream
William H. Lucy
APA Planners Press

Outstanding Academic Title, ALA's Choice magazine
Is the wave of foreclosures still plaguing the country the cause of the housing crisis or a symptom of a larger problem? Foreclosing the Dream takes a clear-eyed look at the data and finds a largely untold story.

This taut, readable assessment pulls no punches as it spells out what the crisis will mean for our exurbs, older suburbs, and central cities. No forward-looking planner or housing professional can afford to miss this book.

$52.95      APA members: $34.95
MORE FROM THE HOME FRONT
Best Development PracticesBest Development Practices
Reid Ewing
APA Planners Press


Reid Ewing shatters the stereotypes to show how planners and developers can work together in combating urban sprawl. Backed by real-world examples, this down-to-earth guide is must reading for everyone seeking better ways to plan and design communities.

$62.95    APA members: $32.95
Zoning as a Barrier to Multifamily Housing Development (PAS 548)Zoning as a Barrier to Multifamily Housing Development (PAS 548)
Gerrit Knaap; Stuart Meck, FAICP; Terry Moore, FAICP;and Robert Parker, AICP 
APA Planning Advisory Service


Most communities want to provide affordable housing opportunities. But are their own zoning codes getting in the way? This report looks at zoning in six cities and finds opportunities to break down barriers to higher-density and more affordable housing.

$46       PAS subscribers: $23

Planning Advisory Service subscribers get current PAS reports free and 50% off past reports and extra copies. Subscribe and save!
Workforce or Mandatory HousingWorkforce or Mandatory Housing
AICP Training

Mandating affordable housing is one thing. Paying for it is another. What's the best way to build affordable housing into development plans? CM |1.25

Includes free bonus CD, Financing Growth Supplement. Get concrete ideas on how to make development pay for itself. CM | 2.5

$125      APA members: $115
Growth Management and Affordable HousingGrowth Management and Affordable Housing
Anthony Downs, ed.
Brookings Institution Press


Too often, growth management shortchanges affordable housing, especially in suburban areas. Plans to reduce traffic congestion and preserve open space may even work against affordable housing. See how smart growth, property values, and fair housing intersect — and sometimes collide.

$22.95
BOOK DEAL OF THE MONTH
Green Community
Save 20% through July 31!
Green Community
Susan Piedmont-Palladino and Timothy Mennel, eds.
APA Planners Press
This collection of thought-provoking essays explores issues from climate change and urban sprawl to American reliance on foreign oil. Find out why HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan called this "a definitive work on the sustainability challenge."
Nonmembers: $51.16
APA members: $34.36
Enter promotional code BOTM at checkout.
E-BOOK SURVEY
Do e-books kindle your interest? Over the years, APA's print titles have won a loyal following. Would you like to see e-books from APA as well? Please complete our brief survey by August 11 and let us know.
Take the survey
HOT LINKS
APA Home
APAPlanningBooks.com
E-catalog
APA Customer Service
BECOME AN APA MEMBER
Not an APA member?
Join APA and always get the member price!
SEARCH
ALL TITLES
FIND BEST SELLERS
MORE TITLES
ON HOUSING