Public Health

walkable street

The Relationship Between Walkability and Public Health

New research indicates that improving public health requires targeted investments in more than just pedestrian facilities.

March 2, 2022 - Popular Science

COVID-19 and Public Health

Let the Endemic Planning Begin

The first state in the nation to issue a stay-at-home order to slow the spread of a novel coronavirus that humans had no immunity from became the first to release an actual endemic plan, complete with a fancy acronym, SMARTER.

February 23, 2022 - The Washington Post

Seattle, Washington

Residents Call for Highway Removal in Seattle Neighborhood

As more planners begin to question the value of urban freeways, communities that have long borne the negative impacts of highway construction are fighting back with data.

February 23, 2022 - Seattle Times

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

Bike Helmets No Longer Required in Seattle After Research Reveals Enforcement Disparities

The data on bike helmets have changed. Laws are starting to change too.

February 22, 2022 - The Seattle Times

The exterior of the U.S. Supreme Court, with an American flag flying above its large columns and white marble exterior.

Supreme Court: OSHA Exceeded its Public Health Authority

The Supreme Court ruled that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had overreached its authority to protect the health of workers in large private companies. In a separate decision, it upheld a vaccine mandate for most healthcare workers.

January 18, 2022 - The New York Times

A Black LIves Matter Protest, with a protestor holding up a sign that reads "Open Your Eyes: Systemic Racism Is Real"

Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy Are a Place-Based Problem

New research from the Brookings Institution illuminates the racial disparities of public health outcomes both during and before the pandemic.

January 10, 2022 - Brookings Institution

SR-99 on-ramp in Seattle

Seattle Neighborhood Calls for Highway Removal

South Park becomes the latest community to call for the removal of a highway segment that has cut off the neighborhood from local amenities for decades.

December 30, 2021 - The Urbanist

COVID-19 City

What Can Lessons From Traffic Safety Teach About the Covid Response?

Finger waggings aren't effective for pedestrian safety—so why should they work for public health? A "safe system" approach, created for traffic safety in Sweden, offers a model for improved pandemic public health outcomes, according to this opinion.

December 28, 2021 - Angie Schmitt

Coronavirus and Lime

This Is Your Brain on E-Scooters

A survey from scooter operator Spin indicates that e-scooter users experience a boost in relaxation and positive feelings after a ride.

December 22, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

 Interstate 710 in East Los Angeles, California.

California Bill Could Ban Freeway Expansions in Underserved Neighborhoods

A proposed bill in the California State Legislature would bar the state from funding road construction in communities at risk for displacement and health impacts.

December 20, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Noise

Using Tech to Control Noise Pollution

Several cities are piloting programs that use machine learning to identify and understand urban noise patterns and enforce noise ordinances.

December 13, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Children Playing

How Urban Design Affects Children's Cognitive Development

A European study suggests that good urban design can affect cognitive and motor function development in young children.

November 30, 2021 - Barcelona Institute for Global Health

Global warming and pollution

Study: Poor Air Quality Fuels COVID Transmission

Communities exposed to higher levels of air pollution experience higher rates of infection, particularly in areas with high population density.

November 1, 2021 - St. Louis Public Radio

British Columbia residential Neighborhoods

Opinion: Renters Shouldn't Be a 'Buffer' for Single-Family Homes

Despite the well-documented impacts of traffic noise and pollution, Vancouver's housing policy effectively relegates multi-family apartment buildings to busy arterial roads.

October 28, 2021 - Sightline Institute

17th Street, Denver, Colorado

Improving Housing Through Trauma-Informed Design

A growing awareness of the link between the built environment and mental health has led some designers to examine the ways we can make housing feel more safe and welcoming for vulnerable populations.

October 27, 2021 - NextCity

Commute

The Return to the Office Around the World

Cities around the world are employing vastly different strategies in the effort to get workers back in the office.

October 20, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

A person in a bright green vest with the words "Covid Marshall" patrols a street fair in Australia.

5 Tips for Planning Safe Post-Pandemic Events

As community events start move off-screen and become available to the public again, here are five ways organizers can ensure public health and safety.

October 13, 2021 - Devin Partida

Coronavirus

750,000 Evictions Predicted as Moratoria End

Analysts from Goldman Sachs predict a wave of evictions as eviction moratoriums end with millions of households still behind on rent.

September 6, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Map showing I-270 Corridor Improvements Study Area

Colorado DOT To Study Air Quality Near I-270 Project—Residents Are Skeptical

The Colorado Department of Transportation has pledged to evaluate direct mitigation measures to reduce the impact of construction projects on nearby communities.

September 3, 2021 - Colorado Public Radio

A group of socially distanced tents for the homeless are set up on a parking lot in San Francisco's Civic Center.

Cities Need More Public Bathrooms–Well Beyond the Pandemic

COVID-19 laid bare the dismal state of public bathrooms in America, and some cities stepped up to add more facilities. But why remove them while the need remains?

August 30, 2021 - Diana Ionescu

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.