The Atlantic

Sketch of proposed city with buildings, trees, and people.

Why Brand New Cities Won’t Solve Our Urban Problems

Building cities takes time and resources. Why not spend them on fixing the ones we have?

October 2, 2023 - The Atlantic

Tent covered with tarp with bike and other objects on sidewalk in Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles

New Study Debunks Homeless Migration Theory

More evidence finds that the root cause of homelessness is, ultimately, a lack of sufficient housing.

July 19, 2023 - The Atlantic

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living

Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Wood-framed apartment building under construction with red crane in background

America’s Housing Shortage Is More Dire Than We Thought

How much housing does America need to reduce soaring prices? Potentially more than anyone has estimated.

November 22, 2022 - The Atlantic

For Rent

Explaining Rent Inflation

The delayed effects of changes in rent costs make rent inflation a difficult figure to pin down.

August 19, 2022 - The Atlantic

South San Jose houses

The Housing Crisis: No Longer Just a Coastal Concern

The pandemic accelerated existing trends and created unsustainable housing demand in a wider range of towns and cities, exacerbated by outdated zoning restrictions.

August 17, 2022 - The Atlantic

Cars lined up on a street with fire burning in background

Fire Evacuation Planning at the Community Level

Wildfire planning often focuses on individual buildings, but little guidance exists for effective citywide evacuation planning.

August 10, 2022 - The Atlantic

A row of young people outdoors using smartphones

Say Goodbye to the ‘Millennial Lifestyle Subsidy’

The era of cheap, on-demand services is coming to a close as unprofitable startups face the realities of capitalism.

June 14, 2022 - The Atlantic

Bike Light

The Mystique of the Bicycle

A new book illuminates the history and meaning of the bicycle in human society.

June 5, 2022 - The Atlantic

Environmentalism

Has the Rug Been Pulled Out From Under Environmentalists?

Robinson Meyer, a climate reporter for The Atlantic, writes about the awkward place American environmentalists find themselves due in part to the war in Europe that has created an international energy crisis and historically high fuel prices at home.

May 6, 2022 - The Atlantic

Crowd Community Meeting

The Problem With Public Input

The current community input process often amplifies the voices of already powerful groups who act to stop valuable projects for their own benefit.

April 28, 2022 - The Atlantic

Pandemic Public Health

The 'Eviction Tsunami' and Other Pandemic Projections

The ups and downs of the pandemic have been extremely hard to predict, so the consequences of the pandemic have been just as unforeseeable—despite the efforts of a nation of armchair prognosticators.

April 11, 2022 - The Atlantic

Expocenter of Ukraine

The Radical Architecture of Kyiv

Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.

April 4, 2022 - The Atlantic

Texas Wind

Renewable Energy as a Political Issue

Texas leads the country in wind energy production, but it, and other conservative states, continue to resist efforts to promote the switch to renewables.

April 3, 2022 - The Atlantic

California Wildfire

Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises

As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?

March 17, 2022 - The Atlantic

A statue of the Little Mermaid, overlooking the waterfront of Copenhagen, Denmark, is adorned with a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Danish Paradox: High COVID Transmission Leads to Endemicity

The nation with the world's highest COVID infections per capita was the first in Europe to end almost all coronavirus restrictions. The decision comes with the declaration that as of Feb. 1, COVID is no longer a "socially critical disease" in Denmark

February 14, 2022 - The Atlantic

Electric Cars

How Dealership Laws Hinder EV Sales

Laws designed to protect car dealers against price competition from car manufacturers are, in many states, preventing electric car makers from selling directly to consumers.

February 6, 2022 - The Atlantic

Old houses with large porch and colorful siding

Opinion: New Construction Is Safer, Better for the Environment

The emotional attachment to old homes can obscure the benefits of new buildings, which consume less energy and provide more amenities for residents.

January 14, 2022 - The Atlantic

U.S. Census Bureau

Debunking the Myth of the Declining White Population

Media claimed that Census data showed a sharp decline in America's white population, but the widely publicized figure reflects a misunderstanding of new data collection techniques.

November 17, 2021 - The Atlantic

Coronavirus Skies

The California Dream is Becoming Less Achievable

Anti-growth forces have made it close to impossible for many young people and newcomers to gain the upward mobility that has defined the state's success.

August 1, 2021 - The Atlantic

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

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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.