The Urban Portal

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Center for an Urban Future

The Center for an Urban Future is a public policy organization dedicated to improving the overall health of New York City and serving its long-term interests by targeting problems facing low-income and working-class neighborhoods in all five boroughs.

A new kind of think tank, the Center brings a unique, community-oriented perspective to the public policy arena. Our staffers function more like beat reporters than like academics, going out into the field to observe and interview neighborhood residents, local businesspeople and community organizations. We also consult with academic experts, government officials and others, in order to get the broadest possible view of an issue or problem, and to hear from all those affected by it.

Filed under: Organizations

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Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development

DePaul University
The Chaddick Institute, located at DePaul University in Chicago, advances the principles of effective land use, transportation and community planning. Founded in 1993, the institute offers planners, attorneys, developers, and entrepreneurs a forum to share expertise on difficult land-use issues through workshops, conferences and policy studies.

Filed under: Organizations

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Cities in the 21st Century

International Honors Program
Cities in the 21st Century program examines the intentional and natural forces that guide the development of the world’s cities. It combines an innovative urban studies academic curriculum with fieldwork involving public agencies, planners, elected officials, NGOs and grassroots groups in important world cities where exciting changes are taking place.

Filed under: Links

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City-Region Studies Centre

University of Alberta
The City-Region Studies Centre (CRSC) is a University of Alberta research unit that engages with communities to explore the nature of towns, cities, and regions.  CRSC is one of the only centres in North America to focus on regional research. To do this, we undertake both engaged and theoretical activities, work with clients, sponsor events, host visiting experts and public lectures, and maintain a global set of links with planners and academics, and cities and institutes. We are the portal to urban and regional teaching and research at the University of Alberta.

CRSC's goal is to increase understanding of the cultural, political, economic interactions and interdependencies within these social spaces and to inform public policy and improve the well-being of citizens.

Filed under: Organizations

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CITYNET

For over 20 years, CITYNET (The Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements) has committed itself to helping local governments improve the sustainability of human settlements. Starting with 26 members in 1987, CITYNET has grown to become an international organization of more than 100 members in more than 20 countries, most of which are cities and local governments in the Asia-Pacific region.

Filed under: Organizations

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Clean Cities

U.S. Department of Energy
Clean Cities is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) flagship alternative-transportation deployment initiative, sponsored by the Vehicle Technologies Program. Clean Cities has saved nearly 3 billion gallons of petroleum since its inception in 1993. More than 8,400 stakeholders contribute to Clean Cities' goals and accomplishments through participation in nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions across the country. Private companies, fuel suppliers, local governments, vehicle manufacturers, national laboratories, state and federal government agencies, and other organizations join together under Clean Cities to implement alternative-transportation solutions in their communities.

Filed under: Links

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Does transparency mean more democracy?

Data.gov was established with the goal of making the US government more transparent and “establishing a new standard of openness.” It provides access to copious government data on topics as varied as unemployment records and Medicare costs. Data.gov is part of an open-data movement that has spread around the globe. Twenty-one countries have so far at least partially opened up their data for public use. But does having more data available to more people really mean greater democracy?

November 01, 2011

Filed under: Issues

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Fourth International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Emotional Geographies

July 1–July 3, 2013
University of Groningen
Groningen, The Netherlands

Filed under: Events

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Friends of Downtown

Friends of Downtown is the voice for intelligent planning and urban design for downtown Chicago. Founded in 1981, the organization is recognized as a vital and influential component of the city’s design and building process. Friends of Downtown directly influences planning and development decisions through debate, public advocacy, and cooperation with other civic organizations. Friends of Downtown creates awareness of important issues affecting downtown, enabling citizens to develop their understanding and voice their opinions of Chicago’s physical and social environment. Members throughout the metropolitan area are committed to ensuring that downtown Chicago remains the well-designed, vibrant, economic heart of the city.

Filed under: Organizations

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Global City Indicators

The Global City Indicators Program provides an established set of city indicators with a globally standardized methodology that allows for global comparability of city performance and knowledge sharing. This website serves all cities that become members to measure and report on a core set of indicators through this web-based relational database.

Filed under: Links

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Great Cities Institute

University of Illinois at Chicago
The Great Cities Institute sponsors research, service, and educational programs aimed at improving the quality of life of people living in Chicago, its metropolitan region, and other great cities of the world. In carrying out its work the Institute engages closely with government institutions, businesses and their membership organizations, foundations and grant-making agencies, and organizations devoted to the social, cultural, and economic vitality of cities, local communities and neighborhoods. It serves as a research laboratory and meeting place for scholars, policymakers, and citizens who share an interest in finding answers to the question, "What can cities and regions do to make themselves into great places?"

Filed under: Organizations

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Greater New Orleans Community Data Center

The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center (GNOCDC) gathers, analyzes and disseminates data to help nonprofit and civic leaders work smarter and more strategically. Operating since 1997, GNOCDC is New Orleans’ sustainable data source – before the storm, throughout recovery and for years to come. A product of Nonprofit Knowledge Works, GNOCDC is one of only two–dozen organizations nationwide chosen to be a National Neighborhood Indicators Partner – local data experts dedicated to community change. GNOCDC is recognized across the country for expertise in New Orleans demographics, disaster recovery indicators and actionable data visualization.

Filed under: Organizations

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IGU Kyoto Regional Conference 2013

August 4–August 8, 2013
International Geographical Union Urban Geography Commission
Kyoto, Japan

Filed under: Events

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Initiative for Regional and Community Transformation

Rutgers University
The Initiative for Regional and Community Transformation (IRCT) is a university-based effort that helps community residents and leaders in the public and private sectors frame workable policies that will bolster the political, economic, and social participation of marginalized communities within the larger metropolitan community. The IRCT's vision is inclusive. Not only does it encompass concerns for the poor, but leaders of the Initiative also believe that in order for metropolitan regions to support sustainable and livable communities, all sectors of civil society must be involved and see a shared interest.

Filed under: Organizations

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Journal of the American Planning Association

American Planning Association
Since 1935, the quarterly Journal of the American Planning Association has published research, commentaries, and book reviews useful to practicing planners, policy makers, scholars, students, and citizens of urban, suburban, and rural areas. JAPA publishes only peer-reviewed, original research and analysis. It aspires to bring insight to planning the future, to air a variety of perspectives, to publish the highest quality work, and to engage readers.

Filed under: Journals

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Journal of Urban History

The Journal of Urban History (JUH), peer-reviewed and published bi-monthly, provides scholars and professionals with the latest research, analyses, and discussion on the history of cities and urban societies throughout the world. JUH presents original research by distinguished authors from the variety of fields concerned with urban history. Each insightful issue offers the latest scholarship on such topics as public housing, migration, urban growth, and more.

Filed under: Journals

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NewGeography.com

NewGeography.com is a site devoted to analyzing and discussing the places where individuals live and work. The goal is to learn not only what is happening, but also how individuals, their companies, and communities can best adapt to rapidly changing conditions. The site  welcomes insights on economic development, metropolitan demographics, and community leadership.

Filed under: Links

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Next City

University of Washington
As a public research institution located in the heart of a globally connected metropolitan area, with deep faculty expertise in urban fields, the University of Washington is helping to find informed solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by the new urban age.   Faculty research is helping urban leaders and citizens across the globe make their cities healthier, safer, and greener.  Partnerships with professionals and community members are making this region a recognized leader in innovative urban design, planning, and governance. Students are learning about cities in the classroom, conducting urban research, and contributing to community well-being through urban service – here in Seattle as well as in other nations and continents.  Events across the university bring leading urban thinkers to campus and engage the wider community in conversations about cities past, present, and future.

Under the leadership of Provost Phyllis Wise, NEXT CITY: Sustainable Urbanization is serving as a university-wide theme between 2009 and 2011 to focus attention on the University of Washington’s urban teaching, research, and outreach activities.  Cities and their people are the emphasis of major university lecture series, seminars, cultural and education events, and public roundtables on the challenges and opportunities of urbanization.   New research initiatives, courses, and partnerships with the community are bringing together Washingtonians and others in discovering more about the twenty-first century’s urban age.  Explore this website, and join the conversation.

Filed under: Organizations

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Panel Study of Income Dynamics

University of Michigan
The Panel Study of Income Dynamics - PSID - is the longest running longitudinal household survey in the world. The study began in 1968 with a nationally representative sample of over 18,000 individuals living in 5,000 families in the United States. Information on these individuals and their descendants has been collected continuously, including data covering employment, income, wealth, expenditures, health, marriage, childbearing, child development, philanthropy, education, and numerous other topics. The PSID is directed by faculty at the University of Michigan, and the data are available on this website without cost to researchers and analysts.

The data are used by researchers, policy analysts, and teachers around the globe. Over 3,000 peer-reviewed publications have been based on the PSID. Recognizing the importance of the data, numerous countries have created their own PSID-like studies that now facilitate cross-national comparative research. The National Science Foundation recognized the PSID as one of the 60 most significant advances funded by NSF in its 60 year history.

Filed under: Data

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San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association

Throughout history, civic involvement has been the foundation of a thriving, vibrant city. SPUR's expanded work in the Urban Center will focus on educational programs in good government, public policy, urban planning and design with the ultimate goal of engaging citizens in SPUR's work and in the issues that affect the entire region.

SPUR's activities, include:

• research and advocacy by policy directors
• frequent policy committee and task force meetings
• meetings with civic leaders and allied organizations
• lunchtime and evening forums and panel discussions
• an urban affairs library and resource center
• permanent and rotating exhibitions

Filed under: Organizations

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The Urbanophile

Aaron M. Renn is The Urbanophile, an opinion-leading urban affairs analyst, entrepreneur, speaker, and writer on a mission to help America’s cities thrive in the 21st century. In the Urbanophile he has created a destination for serious, in depth, non-partisan, and non-dogmatic analysis and discussion of the issues facing America’s cities and regions in the 21st century. The Urbanophile site began in 2006, and it has developed into one of America’s top urban policy destinations. 

Filed under: Links

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This Big City

Founded in September 2009, This Big City is an award winning sustainable cities blog exploring urban innovations in architecture, design, culture, technology, transport and the bicycle. Created by Joe Peach, This Big City now features content from urbanism writers all over the world, and has been featured on Next American City, Planetizen, Sustainable Cities Collective and IBM Smarter Cities.

Filed under: Links

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UrbanOmnibus

Urban Omnibus is an online project of the Architectural League to create a new kind of conversation about design and New York City. Urban Omnibus gathers and delivers the insights of journalists, architects, planners, designers, artists, activists, scholars and citizens. The Omnibus features multi-media content to showcase design innovation, critical analysis and local expertise across a broad range of topics and locales, creating bridges between various communities of interest. Urban Omnibus makes vivid the processes and possibilities shaping New York. Our goal is to increase understanding of the city we have and encourage ideas that can lead to a more inclusive, more sustainable, more beautiful city that could be. 

Filed under: Links

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