North America

Public Transportation Provides a Vital Mobility Link in Rural and Small Towns

A new report describes the important roles that public transit plays in rural communities and small towns, current demographic and economic trends that are increasing these demands, and examples of successful rural transit development programs.

October 25, 2017 - Public Transportation’s Impact on Rural and Small Towns: A Vital Mobility Link [pdf]

Tokyo Blur

Ranking the Safest Cities in the World—Tokyo Leads the List

The Economist's Intelligence Unit has released its 2017 Safe Cities Index.

October 13, 2017 - Quartz

Toronto Skyline B&W

The Real Estate Bubble Grows North of the Border

A new report rates the real estate bubble risk of the world's economic powerhouses.

September 30, 2017 - UBS

High Speed Rail Transforming California's Housing, TOD Conversation

The California Legislature took steps to address the state's housing crisis this year, but housing activists might look to the Governor's High Speed Rail project to provide a link to affordable housing in the Central Valley.

September 29, 2017 - The Planning Report

Seattle Sailboats

Could Seattle Be the U.S. Vancouver?

Seattle appears to be following the Vancouver, B.C. model by increasing population and residential density while investing in transit. If it works, traffic congestion will not deteriorate, and vehicle trips should drop.

September 29, 2017 - Governing

Caribbean Hurricane Season

Puerto Rico Braces for Direct Hit from Hurricane Maria on Wednesday

A second catastrophic hurricane is on track to devastate much of the Caribbean, barely two weeks after category five Hurricane Irma departed. In addition to Maria, a much weaker Hurricane Jose will affect the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

September 19, 2017 - CNN

Carribean

Florida Prepares for Irma: Building Codes, Cranes, Evacuation, Storm Surge

As Irma leaves the Caribbean and heads for Florida, with landfall expected this weekend, there is a lot to worry about: New building codes will be put to test, fuel to evacuate is in short supply, and cranes have not been dismantled.

September 8, 2017 - The New York Times

Rosa Parks, Jane Jacobs, Frederick Law Olmsted

Vote for the Most Influential Urbanists

After accepting nearly 200 nominees for consideration, we're asking for votes to determine the "Most Influential Urbanists" of all time.

September 7, 2017 - Planetizen

Carribean

Caribbean Islands Brace for Irma as Florida Prepares

As Houston and East Texas recover from Hurricane Harvey, an even stronger hurricane has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, headed to the Caribbean Sea, and likely Florida by this weekend, though there is uncertainty where it goes next.

September 6, 2017 - Guardian

Senior Mobility

An Aging USA Needs Safe Streets Now More Than Ever

Bigger cars and an older population means a growing number of Americans die while crossing the street, and the country is just getting older.

September 1, 2017 - Mother Nature Network

Suburban House

Support One Car Families to Achieve Local Transportation Goals

Cities that are serious about transportation goals need to think seriously about supporting families who choose to live low car lifestyles.

August 25, 2017 - American City & County

Vancouver Skyline

Professor: High-End Housing Worsened Vancouver's Affordability Crunch

UBC's Patrick Condon argues that for Vancouver and cities like it, simply adding supply at any level doesn't get at the root causes of the global affordable housing crisis.

August 25, 2017 - The Planning Report

Empty Parking Lot

AVs and Real Estate - A Guide to Potential Impacts

AVs are more than a transportation issue and will have significant impacts on real estate. Expect AVs to affect parking, sprawl, housing prices, and transit.

August 24, 2017 - Urbanism Next Blog - Sustainable Cities Initiative

Car Crash Reporting Guidelines Prepare for Self-Driving Vehicles

The Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria's latest edition has new instructions for reporting the emerging sector of autonomous vehicles.

August 17, 2017 - GOV TECH - FUTURE STRUCTURE

Chelsea

Houses Appreciate. Cars Depreciate. Walkable Urban Neighborhoods Help Families Build Wealth.

Walkable urban neighborhoods tend to have more expensive housing but cheaper transport. By shifting spending from vehicles to housing a typical household can build a million dollars in additional equity by choosing a Smart Growth location.

August 8, 2017 - Public Square

City Hall

Impacts of AVs and E-Commerce on Municipal Budgets

A new report from Urbanism Next/SCI takes you through a city’s budget—both revenues and expenditures—and describes the areas that will be affected as AVs become commonplace and e-commerce takes on an even larger role in retail

August 4, 2017 - Urbanism Next

A Female Approach to Commercial Revitalization

Auburn Boulevard in the city of Citrus Heights, California is a case study of what urban strategist Michele Reeves calls the "female approach to economic development."

July 13, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Queen Elizabeth

A Comprehensive Plan for Westeros? Same Issues, More Swordplay

Game of Thrones provides way more sex, blood, and dragons than your typical comprehensive planning project, but the dynamics can be instructive, particularly in places where demand for the high-quality amenities of urbanism out-paces the supply.

July 13, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Barbes Music

Safe for Now, Brooklyn Music Mecca Sees a Cloudy Future

More than 20 percent of New York's smaller music venues have closed in the past 15 years. Although Brooklyn institution Barbes was recently saved by a crowdfunding campaign, its founder is pessimistic about the future of New York's independent arts.

July 13, 2017 - Soft City

Protest Crowd

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding

President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

July 3, 2017 - The Planning Report

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.