American Dream Coalition

The American Dream Communicator                        
The most comprehensive digest of news & commentary about urban policy in America.

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June 10-12, 2010 – The 8^th Annual Preserving the American Dream Conference, Orlando, Florida

Mobility & Transportation
Taking the Driver Out of the Car – Randal O’Toole, Wall Street Journal
Car culture: Fix roads to handle high-speed travelers – Detroit News
Man accused of disabling 100 cars over Internet – MSNBC.com
A transit system designed for the few – OregonLive.com
Transit authority bills revive city and suburb showdown – Spinal Column
I-95 express buses to downtown Miami worth the expense for commuters – Sun-Sentinel, Florida
Central Corridor isn’t just about moving people – Star Tribune, Minnesota
Port Authority approves $6.5 million contract for Philadelphia light-rail studies – Philly.com
Mayor, others doubt Metro can fund rail lines – Houston Chronicle
The Metro Train Wreck – Houston’s Clear Thinkers
HART learns that costs among challenges to light rail routes – Tampa Tribune
With ballot language approved, the campaign for light rail begins – Creative Loafing, Tampa
Honolulu rail route too close to runways, may have to shift – Honolulu Advertiser
City Council chooses new tunnel route for downtown light rail – Bellevue Reporter, Washington
500 stranded on NJ Transit train for 5 hours – Associated Press, New Jersey
2 killed, 2 hurt in Salt Lake-area TRAX accident – Associated Press, Utah
METRO bus and train collide downtown (again) – ABC-13, Houston
Light trail train damaged in crash with semi – Arizona Republic

Housing & Land Use
A Libertarian View of Urban Sprawl – Randal O’Toole, Cato-at-Liberty
How to Create Real Urban Redevelopment – Sam Staley, Invest To Wealth
Shrinking Detroit Back to Greatness – Edward Glaeser, New York Times
The Myth of the Strong Center – Wendell Cox, New Geography
The 10 most affordable U.S. suburbs – Business Week
Higher prices melt housing affordability in British Columbia – Buzz Buzz Home
Florida’s growth: A better way – Jacksonville.com
Florida lawmakers avoid debates on growth management – St. Petersburg Times
There’s more to Hometown Democracy than environment vs. sprawl – Creative Loafing, Florida
Land-Poor, Cash-Poor – Karla Kay Edwards, Oregon Catalyst
Smart growth challenges local governments – Daily Reporter, Wisconsin
Pleasanton housing cap violates law, judge says – San Francisco Chronicle
Affordable housing or rent control? – Denver Daily News
Would new green redevelopment agencies have eminent domain powers? – Pasadena Sub Rosa
City Takes Properties By Eminent Domain – WFMZ-69 News, Pennsylvania
Eminent domain for private development? – Delta Farm Press, Mississippi
Project may use eminent domain – Auburn Citizen, New York

Freedom & Grassroots
U.S. residents ‘losing faith’ in American Dream, new poll shows – Daily Caller
America in 2050 – Where and How We’ll Live – Joel Kotkin, AOL News
Think Texas: Texas is the No. 1 Destination State – San Saba News & Star
When again we grow … – George Rebane, TheUnion.com, California
Gadfly makes film decrying power of eminent domain – Kansas City Jewish Chronicle
Residents continue to fight Woodlands Park – News & Tribune, Indiana
Member breaks rank with Vista redevelopment panel – North County Times, San Diego
In defence of ‘pregnant houses’ – Richard White, Calgary Herald
Who Is the Hypocrite? – The Antiplanner

Not So Sustainable
No roads to recovery in sight – Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, California
Public transit officials lobby for funding, jobs in D.C. – Progressive Railroading
Residents fear NJ Transit service cuts, fare hikes – Hudson Reporter, New Jersey
MBTA projects huge budget shortfall for coming fiscal year – Tufts Daily, Massachusetts
City Recommends TIF for $145M Apartments – Globe Street, Chicago
Affordable Warmth BC – Columbia Valley News, British Columbia

High Speed Rail
America’s Coming High-Speed Rail Financial Disaster – Ron Utt, Heritage Foundation
High-Speed Rail As a Conduit of Sprawl – Autopia
Spain’s high-speed rail: comfort, convenience trump green – Smart Planet
How to sell High Speed Rail to Ohio… – Phony Coney
The Wisdom of High-Speed Rail-American Style – Mass Transit Magazine

            New Report: 6^th Annual World Urban Areas: Population and Projections – Demographia

Growth Management Globally
Smart Growth Exacerbated the International Financial Crisis – Wendell Cox, Foreclosure Nightmare
Affordable housing targets failed in Somerset – BBC-Somerset, England
On the market for £200,000 – a flat smaller than a snooker table – Mail Online, England
Dazzled by housing’s magic rise – The Age, Australia
Housing shortage to quadruple: HIA – ZincIP.biz, Australia

Across the Tracks
The green argument for cities – GreenFudge.org
Could Hating Sprawl Unite Left and Right? – True Slant
Zoning and Sprawl I – Kevin Drum, Mother Jones
Zoning and Sprawl II – Ryan Avent, The Bellows
More Sprawl Commentary – Matthew Yglesias, The Atlantic
Standing up against sprawl – Gail Simpson, Illinois Times
A Complete Rethink – Metropolis Magazine
Freeways Responsible For Emptying Out Cities – Planetizen
Costly SkyTrain technology choices baffle – North Shore News, Canada
Light rail a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ – Hamilton Spectator, Ontario
The Train! The Train! – Austin Chronicle, Texas

Vibrant Urbanism
VTA Light Rail vs. Caltrain: Strange tales of public transit – San Jose Spartan Daily, California
VTA Light Rail Robbers Being Sought By Campbell Police – Fugitive.com

Community Dissonance
Seattle has nation’s worst traffic congestion: Study – Puget Sound Business Journal
Seattle, “icon of urban efficiency,” is nation’s top time-saving city – The City Fix

It’s Multi-Modal!
Man drives onto light rail tracks in Tempe – ABC-15, Arizona

Blast From the Past
It runs in tubes: the first high-speed rail, circa 1870 – Smart Planet
Jitney rides provided novel transportation in 1915 – Pasadena Star-News
The Fordson Snow-Motor, 1926 – TreasureNet.com

Notable Quotables

            “Today, I want to announce a sea change. People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning. This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.” USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

            “I called the Portland Bureau of Transportation shortly after they changed the traffic pattern and reduced the lanes on Tacoma Street.… They told me that they hadn’t created congestion; they’d ‘calmed’ the traffic and ‘extended’ the commute. They also suggested that if I didn’t like the new commute, I should consider riding the bus.” Portland resident Gay Stryker, on the coercive nature of ‘transportation choice.’

* Come across a good quote or news story?  Send it to me at ed@americandreamcoalition.org.  Check for past editions of the ADC Communicator on our website here.  And don’t forget to forward this to your friends and colleagues!

** Check out Interviews with the Experts for the latest commentary on trends taking place in cities all across America. **

*** This Communicator sponsored by Happy Smart Growth ***

            Markets, not mandates, for people who are free!

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