Government / Politics
Maryland City Bans Smoking on a Public Street
City officials in Cumberland, Maryland, say smoking and use of smokeless tobacco products have deterred visitors to its downtown pedestrian mall and hopes the ban will make the area more welcoming.
Democrats Embrace YIMBY Ideas
Vice President Harris’s housing platform is shaping up to include some long-awaited support for pro-density policies and zoning reform.
Utah Sues Over Public Lands Access
State leaders say they want to open 18.5 million acres of unappropriated federal lands to recreation, conservation, and extractive uses.
Valuing Ounces of Prevention
Planning decisions often involve trade-offs between short-term prevention costs and larger future savings and benefits. Planners can help communities determine what best reflects their priorities.
Building a Greener Future: Youth Leadership in Climate Action
The L.A. County Youth Climate Commission empowers young voices to influence sustainable policies, prioritizing environmental justice and addressing top issues like cleaner air, green spaces, and green buildings.
Las Vegas Faces Opportunity to Stop Sprawl
Having sprawled for the past few decades, the Las Vegas region is bumping up against undevelopable federal lands. Those limits give it the chance to consider a denser, more urban future.
California Could Extend Oil Well Monitoring Deadlines
Legislators are considering extending the deadline for new oil well safety regulations by up to 54 months, sparking controversy over whether the delay benefits the oil industry at the expense of public health.
Language Matters: “Climate Change” Generates More Concern Than “Climate Crisis”
A recent study found that the terms “climate change” and “global warming” are more familiar and generate greater public concern than less recognized terms like “climate crisis” and “climate justice.”
Property Taxes Cuts on the Ballot in at Least Eight States
From completely eliminating property tax to creating new exemptions, voters in eight states across the country will cast their votes on a variety of ballot measures that could have major implications for local budgets.
The Fight Continues Against Criminalization of Homelessness
Though disappointed in the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing sleeping bans, homeless advocates are energized and organizing around other solutions.
Grants Pass Bans Outdoor Sleeping, Creates Designated Camping Areas
The Oregon city was at the heart of a controversial Supreme Court case that paves the way for the criminalization of homelessness.
Grants Pass Homelessness Ruling Brings Issues Into Sharp Focus
Advocates for unhoused people are rallying to protect homeless populations as new legislation criminalizing homelessness rolls out around the country.
Panhandling Bans Draw Free Speech Criticism
Civil liberties advocates say prohibitions supposedly based on safety unfairly target unhoused people.
We Must Relocate to Prepare for Climate Change, and We Must Do it Now
As flooding, sea level rise, fires, and other climate impacts increase, we’ll need to move about 20 million Americans by 2100. Here’s how we can rethink managed retreat to get ahead of the rising tides.
Florida Public Sleeping Ban Goes Into Effect October 1
The law allows citizens to sue cities for lax enforcement.
How Project 2025 Could Threaten Public Lands
If enacted, the conservative plan could ‘decimate’ public lands and protected habitats.
ACLU Sues Washington State for Anti-Camping Laws
In the first legal challenges since June’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that cities can enforce outdoor sleeping bans, the ACLU filed a lawsuit alleging Washington’s anti-camping laws violate the state constitution.
What Makes Affordable Housing Green?
There's no one way to determine what makes “green” housing. Here's a breakdown of the standards and considerations used by the affordable housing industry.
Making Voting Accessible to Everyone
Voters with disabilities often have a hard time getting to the polls. Mail-in voting helps, but some states are limiting it.
Balancing Act: 7 Strategies to Curb Overtourism
What’s a popular travel destination to do? From ice cream bans to “Stay Away” marketing campaigns, cities and countries across the world are getting creative in their efforts to curb the negative impacts of mass tourism and tourists behaving badly.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
