Urban Design
Streetsblog LA
James Rojas Takes His Interactive Modeling Projects to the United Nations
It was a privilege and honor for my artwork to represent the United States at the United Nation Habitat organized World Urban Forum (WUF) in Brazil. The theme of the fifth biannual conference was The Right to the City: Bridging the Urban Divide. The Forum was established by the United Nations in 2002 to examine urgent problems facing the world today. The conference focused on rapid urbanization and its impact on cities, economies, climate change, and policies. It brought together over 17,000 participants including government leaders, ministers, mayors, diplomats, regional and international associations, community groups, and practitioners. The US delegation was comprised of high-level staff from the White House Office of Urban Affairs, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development, and the United States Department of Agriculture. This year, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan led the US delegation.
April 2, 2010
LADOT Puts “James M. Woods” on a Mini-Road Diet. ABC Wonders About the Street Parking.
Yesterday, I saw a promotional spot on ABC for the evening news that promised help people that are upset about automobile parking restrictions on their local streets. Needless to say, I was excited. This was an easy story. Get some angry residents complaining about parking, a nice car-culture report from a television reporter. Bam! Instant Streetsblog story.
March 31, 2010
Feds Begin Redefining ‘Affordable Housing’ to Include Transport Costs
The
process of expanding the federal government's definition of "affordable
housing," a stated goal of the Obama administration's sustainable communities effort, began in earnest yesterday with the introduction of a new index that integrates transportation prices into the cost of living for hundreds of metro areas.
March 24, 2010
For Cyclists, It’s a Bridge to Nowhere
The Port of Long Beach is green. Very green. And no, we're not talking about the unsightly tint the port used to give the Alamitos Bay. Port administrators are making a concerted effort to make the giant shipping facility as environmentally friendly as it can be.
March 15, 2010
And Now, for Something Completely Different
One of the great things about the passage of Measure R is that it inspired many people to dream about a Los Angeles that isn't car-dependent. Apparently, it's inspired people outside of Los Angeles, and I mean well outside of Los Angeles, to dream a little dream as well. Via Inhabitat:
March 3, 2010
Report from the Annual Conference on Active Living: Obesity and Active Living
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, serious dollars from the Johnson & Johnson (baby shampoo etc) empire, is a public health foundation which funds research into healthy eating and active living. Their Annual Conference on Active Living took place in San Diego last week.
February 17, 2010
Freight Rail, Streetcars Are Tops in Stimulus’ TIGER Chase
The Obama administration today announced the winners of $1.5 billion
stimulus in highly competitive stimulus grants under the program known
as Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER.
Southeastern and midwestern freight rail projects were the day's
biggest winners, with urban streetcar projects also making a big splash.
February 17, 2010
EPA and HUD Make Big Investments in Sustainable Development
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are making significant progress
on their joint effort, with the U.S. DOT, to connect cleaner transportation options with affordable housing and denser urban development.
February 8, 2010