Exclusives

Close-up of U.S., California, and POW-MIA flags on California state capitol dome.

BLOG POST

California’s New Housing Laws: What You Need to Know

The state legislature passed dozens of new laws aimed at improving housing affordability and streamlining the development process to meet rising demand.

October 13 - Diana Ionescu

Banner for urban planning creators with logos.

FEATURE

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know in 2024

Whether you’re a TikTok enthusiast or a Substack reader, you can find plenty of valuable and engaging urban planning content in the new media landscape.

October 11 - Planetizen

Black-and-white 1924 photo of a street in Los Angeles with a street car, cars driving in the other lane over street car tracks and pedestrians walking on sidewalk and middle of street.

FEATURE

The 100-Year Road to Car Dependency in the US

October 8, 2024, marks the centennial of the publication of what would soon become the Los Angeles Traffic Ordinance — a landmark on the road toward our car-dominated status quo.

October 8 - Peter Norton

September's must-reads: Planetizen's top 10 articles from September with aerial view of Akron, Ohio, in the background.

BLOG POST

September Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

Housing affordability, Texas high-speed rail, school drop-off congestion, Project 2025 transportation policy, and more — here are Planetizen’s most popular headlines from September 2024.

October 6 - Mary Hammon

MARTA train tracks run in the middle of a six lane highway with an overpass and the Buckhead city skyline of skyscrapers in the background.

BLOG POST

How Would Project 2025 Affect America’s Transportation System?

Long story short, it would — and not in a good way.

September 29 - Marcelo Remond


People in large plaza in front of Zurich Opera House in Switzerland.

BLOG POST

But... Europe

European cities and nations tend to have less violent crime than the United States. Is government social welfare spending the magic bullet that explains this difference?

September 26 - Michael Lewyn

Rear view of woman in blue coat riding bike on busy road signals with left hand to merge into lane of traffic.

BLOG POST

The Risks of Self-Fulfilling Travel Forecasts

Transportation agencies continue to apply predict-and-provide planning which simply extrapolates past trends to predict future needs. It’s time to apply decide-and-provide planning to better achieve community goals.

September 23 - Todd Litman


Green "Dispensary Now Open" banner on tan/orange building.

BLOG POST

Economic Impacts of Zoning for Cannabis Businesses

Discover the economic impacts of zoning for cannabis businesses, including how these regulations affect local economies, influence real estate values, and shape community development.

September 19 - Devin Partida

College Students

FEATURE

Urban Planning Is Often Overlooked as a Career — Why Is That?

Research shows that the majority of young people aren't aware of urban planning, let alone of its potential as a career. This article offers three ways colleges and universities with undergraduate degrees and masters programs in urban planning can do to attract children and young people from diverse backgrounds to the profession.

September 16 - Stephen Kofi Diko

Street with blurred traffic and office buioldings in background in Tucson, Arizona at dusk.

FEATURE

When ‘Prioritizing All Modes’ Is a Lie

In many cases, it’s impossible to prioritize the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users without sacrificing some speed.

September 16 - Anna Zivarts

Talking Heads Little Creatures album cover.

BLOG POST

Great Album Covers with Urban Planning Themes

Album covers that evoke urban themes.

September 13 - Gabe Bailer - PP - AICP - NJ Urbanthinker

Mexico City, Florida

FEATURE

Commentary: Ensuring a Sustainable Future for Hurricane-Vulnerable Rural Communities Is Imperative

As we brace for the second half of the 2024 hurricane season, we need to take serious action to help rural communities recover and build greater resilience against hurricanes.

September 11 - John Travis Marshall

Happy students walking together on university campus, chatting and laughing outdoors after classes.

BLOG POST

Planning Your Planning Degree

In the Northern Hemisphere, many students are starting urban planning degree programs. How can students position themselves for a productive and meaningful education in planning.

September 9 - Ann Forsyth

August's Must-Reads laid over a close-up image of a radlining map.

BLOG POST

August’s Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles from Last Month

Redlining maps, ADU legislation, Project 2025, and more — catch up on Planetizen’s most popular headlines from August.

September 3 - Mary Hammon

View of cars in traffic jam from behind

FEATURE

Transportation Rx: Treating Traffic Glut Like Doctors Treat Sinus Congestion

To cure chronic traffic congestion, U.S. cities should consider a prescribed treatment approach, using technology and road pricing strategies to target the root cause instead of just managing the symptoms.

September 1 - Timothy Menard

View of a phone with a chatbot interface asking user how it can help them.

BLOG POST

Leveraging AI Chatbots to Enhance Citizen Engagement in City Services

Discover how AI chatbots can transform citizen engagement in city services, offering 24/7 interaction capabilities, streamlining service requests, and gathering valuable feedback to improve urban management.

September 1 - Devin Partida

Two people run down a paved path in the city, surrounded by landscaping.

FEATURE

Designing a "Runnable" City

Planners often focus on walkability and bicycle-friendly cities, which is great to promote active transport. But how do we design a "runnable" city as well?

August 30 - Jua Cilliers

Eviction notice taped to dark grey door with arched window at top.

FEATURE

Lack of Eviction Data Obscures Extent of Affordable Housing Crisis

Court records on eviction filings vary widely and don’t include the outcome and miss informal actions. Without this data, officials don't have a clear picture of displacement of low-income renters and its effect on housing stability.

August 28 - Robbie Sequeira

Roman Forum

FEATURE

Designing Cooler Cities: Lessons from Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Rome had ways to counter the urban heat island effect. As climate change raises global temperatures, can urban planners and designers apply any of those lessons to cities today?

August 28 - Brian J. Stone

New York City street with some traffic with red brick buildings on either side

FEATURE

Could Permeable Pavement Ease Flooding in New York City?

It can’t help cities control the weather, but by slowing the flow of stormwater, permeable pavement can lessen flooding from big storms.

August 28 - Valeria Morales

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.

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