Government / Politics

Waldorf-Astoria

Special Permits Could Be Required for Hotel Development in New York City

Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing ahead with a controversial approval step for hotel development, despite the warnings of city budget office staff about the long-term consequences of the move.

April 29, 2021 - The New York Times

Downtown Detroit

How Easy Is it to Repurpose Offices into Apartments?

Adaptive reuse is a hot concept, but regulatory and financial hurdles have made it slow to catch on in practice.

April 28, 2021 - Slate

Garbage truck and garbage collector

New York City Battles a Garbage Crisis

Last year's budget cuts have led to mounting complaints as the city's sanitation department falls behind on collections and rodent complaints surge.

April 28, 2021 - Bloomberg

January 6, 2021

3 Takeaways From 2020 Census Apportionment Data

The U.S. Census Bureau yesterday released its first set of apportionment population and resident population counts for the nation and each state.

April 27, 2021 - James Brasuell

MTA Bus

Why the Federal Government Should Fund Transit Service

Although federal transit funding is traditionally reserved for capital improvement and infrastructure projects, advocates argue that funding improved service could have transformative impacts on transit-dependent communities.

April 27, 2021 - TransitCenter

Portland Condo High-Rise

Housing Vouchers Prove an Effective Tool Against Homelessness

The Biden administration plans to expand the federal housing voucher program, which currently provides rental assistance to 2.3 million U.S. households.

April 27, 2021 - Next City

Aerial view of Houston Ship Channel with container ships

Exxon Wants 'Financial Incentive' for $100 Billion Carbon Capture Hub

The company's proposed $100 billion carbon capture project would require a "large-scale" public-private partnership and could capture up to 100 million tons of carbon per year.

April 27, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Welcome to Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge Bike Path Could Be Wider, Safer

Advocates want to see a safer plan for the proposed two-way path on one of the country's busiest commuter corridors.

April 27, 2021 - Curbed

2020 Census Logo

Prepping for Today's Big 2020 Census Release

Setting the table as the nation awaits the first results from the 2020 Census.

April 26, 2021 - National Public Radio

Buffalo Bayou Park

Houston Residents Want to Build Pocket Parks on City-Owned Lots

In a park-poor neighborhood, vacant lots provide an untapped opportunity for small-scale parks.

April 26, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

U.S. Cities Reexamine the Discriminatory Effects of Bike Helmet Laws

Data from cities across the country show that bike helmet laws are enforced more aggressively in communities of color.

April 26, 2021 - The Guardian

Stoplight and lights

Hong Kong Parking Plan Denounced as 'Wasteful'

Hong Kong's leaders want to build more parking for the growing number of private vehicles, but transportation experts suggest parking management could be a faster and more affordable solution.

April 26, 2021 - Transit Jam

Traffic in Manhattan New York

Op-Ed: Now is the Time for Congestion Pricing in NYC

The city's plan to charge vehicles entering Manhattan's central business district could reduce traffic and raise $1 billion a year for the city's transportation infrastructure.

April 26, 2021 - New York Daily News

New York Bike Signage

Can I Be a Libertarian for Bike Lanes?

Discussing the trade-offs between making government leaner and making traffic safer.

April 25, 2021 - Michael Lewyn

Freeway Interchange Construction

GOP Counterproposal Aims to Restore the Infrastructure Status Quo

Of the $568 billion in spending proposed by the "Republican Roadmap," $299 billion would go to infrastructure for cars.

April 25, 2021 - Bloomberg

Clean Energy

Biden Pledges Big Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

At the "Leaders Summit on Climate" today, President Joe Biden has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by 50-52 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030.

April 22, 2021 - USA Today

Los Angeles Skyline with mountains

L.A. Mayor Proposes Guaranteed Income Program

The city could give 2,000 families $1,000 a month in what would be the largest program of its kind in the country.

April 22, 2021 - LAist

COVID-19 Vaccinations

The Pandemic's Next Phase in the U.S.: When Vaccine Supply Exceeds Demand

The 'light at the end of the tunnel' has become brighter after the vaccination rate tripled since President Biden took office. According to an analysis, a vaccination enthusiasm tipping point will be reached in 2-4 weeks that could dim the light.

April 22, 2021 - Kaiser Family Foundation

New York Development

Opinion: Zoning Reform Is a Social Justice Issue

Far from an obscure, wonky local issue, zoning reform has the potential to advance social justice in American cities.

April 22, 2021 - The New York Times

Biden administration

What Planners Need to Know, and Ask, About the American Jobs Plan

The American Planning Association has a breakdown of the massive $2 trillion jobs plan that would change the course of federal infrastructure policy.

April 22, 2021 - American Planning Association

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

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.