Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Barack Obama

Urbama Admin? Prez-Elect ‘The Real Deal’ Says Metro Policy Guru

If Barack Obama's soft spot for Detroit has you doubting his urban policy bona fides, Bruce Katz offers a few words of reassurance. The Stamford Advocate reports from Katz's recent appearance before a Connecticut smart-growth group:

Katz is vice president and founding director of the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, an organization whose ideas are part of Obama's urban agenda.

"This is the real deal," Katz said of Obama, hailing his plans for cities and metropolitan areas at Thursday night's meeting of the 1,000 Friends of Connecticut in Norwalk.

Katz praised Obama's June speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, while coyly turning aside speculation that he will head the new Urban Policy Office in the White House.

Speaking of which, we're getting some intel on how that part of the executive will function. David Goldberg of Transportation for America informs us that "the office is conceived as something of a supercabinet position that potentially could coordinate policy among the Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, environment, public health and other arenas."

The folks behind WalkScore have launched a new web site to collect ideas for the Urban Policy Office. Voting up your favorite ideas is pretty addictive.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off

Mayor Adams has delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue despite once saying safety fixes there should be "at the top of our list."

July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

July 17, 2025

Former NYPD Boss Says Deadly High Speed Chases Were Result Of ‘Rogue’ Adams Insiders

Former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon alleged widespread corruption leading to a string of deadly high-speed chases.

July 16, 2025

Uncle Sam Wants to Fence Off a Lower Manhattan Plaza

A federally-funded police gate will lockdown a pedestrian plaza huddled between two federal courthouses in Manhattan.

July 16, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Gonna Have to Pay for That Edition

We're going to need a lot more money to handle storms like the one we saw on Monday. Plus more news.

July 16, 2025

Appeals Court Halts Adams’s Impending Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane Demolition

The judge's ruling came just as the city was set to begin the bike lane demolition process Tuesday evening.

July 15, 2025
See all posts