Development

View of city skyline with overlay of icons indicating smart city connectivity.

How Smart Cities Influence Real Estate Investment

By integrating technology and infrastructure, smart cities are attracting investors with their potential for improved quality of life, efficient resource management, and innovative urban development projects.

December 14, 2023 - Devin Partida

Aerial view of houses against partly cloudy sky in San Mateon County, California.

California Cities Cite Historic Preservation to Block Development

Are some cities using historic designations disingenuously?

December 7, 2023 - Mercury News

View of downtown Seattle with construction cranes and cloudy sky as seen from top of Space Needle.

Seattle Council Rejects Transportation Impact Fee

Councilmembers who opposed the proposal say the fee would have slowed housing development and raised housing costs.

November 28, 2023 - The Registry

Red sign with white text opposing Minneapolist 2040 rezoning plan.

Magical Thinking and NIMBYism

Comparing different types of NIMBYism and where they go wrong.

November 28, 2023 - Michael Lewyn

View of pedestrian plaza in Swiss village with Alps in background.

Opinion: The Arrogance of Social Media Urbanists

Criticism of ‘bad’ urban design and development policies leveled at ‘planners’ often obscures the complex nature of urban politics and land use regulations.

October 17, 2023 - Christopher Holtkamp

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Transportation Impact Fee Proposal Resurfaces in Seattle

Charging developers for improving local infrastructure impacted by their projects could boost transportation revenue, but permit applications in the city are slowing down.

September 18, 2023 - The Urbanist

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Developers Push Back on Zoning Review Fees

An increase in fees for commercial construction projects is raising concerns from local developers who say the industry already faces rising costs to build in the city.

March 30, 2023 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Google street view of New York City intersection with construction fence

Harlem Apartment Project Nixed in Favor of Truck Depot

After a proposal for a mixed-use development failed to gain support from a local city councilmember, the developer turned the site into a truck storage depot, prompting concerns over air quality and health impacts.

January 20, 2023 - The New York Times

View of Ocean Drive with colorfu three-story buildings and palm trees

Voters Reject Miami Beach High-Rises

Developers planning to build above the city’s current height limit will have to go back to the drawing board.

November 16, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Trader Joe's building with "Coming Soon" and "Now Hiring" banners

Why the City Can’t 'Just Put a Trader Joe’s There'

The flawed logic behind an all-too-common planning misconception.

October 23, 2022 - Strong Towns

Boston Housing

A Land Use and Development Playbook For Value-Capture and Creating Currency For Local Community Development

Larry Kosmont shares what cities need to do to meet escalating state requirements; add housing density; fix shopping centers; replace sales tax; pay for constituent services; plan for the future; and capture value created by economic restructuring.

March 28, 2022 - VerdeXchange News

Colorado State Capitol Building

Denver Debates Inclusionary Housing Plan

Atlanta's inclusionary housing program, which closely reflects the proposed Denver plan, could serve as a bellwether for Denver's own future.

March 1, 2022 - The Denver Post

Plan for Cross Creek West

New Master-Planned Community Will Bring Thousands of Homes to Houston Suburbs

A 1,258-acre development is beginning construction near Fulshear, one of Houston's fastest-growing suburbs.

February 2, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Discovery Green and Houston skyline

Big Developments Coming to Houston Next Year

Houston residents can anticipate a slew of projects that will transform some of the city's most iconic landmarks and create new centers for work and play.

December 16, 2021 - The Houston Chronicle

Charlotte, NC

Major Development Projects Coming to Charlotte in 2022

Big developments are in the works for Charlotte neighborhoods from Uptown to South End.

December 14, 2021 - Axios

Atlanta, Georgia, Downtown, Skyline, Dusk

Tallest Skyscraper in 30 Years Proposed in Midtown Atlanta

If approved, a 61-story tower would be the tallest built in Atlanta in three decades.

November 11, 2021 - Urbanize Atlanta

Manhattan, New York City, New York

Updating New York City's Urban Design Principles

Anita Laremont, newly appointed director of the New York Department of City Planning and chair of the City Planning Commission, elaborates on the city's priorities for the public realm and the role for good urban design to enhance quality of life.

November 4, 2021 - The Planning Report

Coronavirus Social Distancing

New York Progressives Continue to Block Development

Despite mounting evidence that cities like New York must build more housing to accommodate their growing populations and stem the housing affordability crisis, some of the city's most progressive neighborhoods are resisting new development.

August 17, 2021 - New York Daily News

Atlanta Skyline

Atlanta Highway Cap Project Gets New Life

The city council voted to apply for a $1 million federal grant to study the potential benefits of building a park over downtown freeways.

July 13, 2021 - Urbanize Atlanta

Maryland Transit Administration

New Tool Demystifies Regulations Around Maryland's Purple Line

The tool aims to help stakeholders "cut through regulatory complexity" and ensure equitable access to the light rail line's economic benefits.

May 27, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

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.