History / Preservation

A historic color-coded HOLC map of Milwalkee with sections in red, yellow, and blue.

Putting the Myth of the Redlining Maps to Rest

Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps have long been blamed for racial inequities in today’s Black neighborhoods, but recent research shows that’s misleading.

August 21, 2024 - Alan Mallach

Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument site.

Site of Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois, Designated as National Monument

President Biden has designated the site of the 1908 Springfield race riot as a national monument, honoring its historical significance.

August 19, 2024 - National Public Radio

Aerial view of downtown Stockton, California with brick church in foreground.

Will This Resident Group Get Full Control of the Complex They Helped Fix?

A group of Cambodian immigrants took partial control of an affordable housing property in the 90s, and since then, they’ve made big changes to the complex. But they haven’t been able to get full legal control of the property for decades. Why?

August 15, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Vintage multi-story brick apartment building and modern concrete and glass apartment building separated by a steep public stairway in Los Angeles, California.

Good As New: The Vital Role of Preservation in Solving the Housing Crisis

Preserving historic buildings and existing affordable housing stock has the potential to ease America’s dire affordable housing crisis and promote equity, inclusion, and justice.

August 11, 2024 - Bonnie McDonald

Asphalt road on coast with collapsed segments from erosion.

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.

August 8, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Ladder going down into kiva ruin in New Mexico.

The Meaning of Ruins on the Landscape

In the latest in a far ranging series of interest to planners—centered on contrasts between urban and natural environments—Chuck Wolfe speculates about the role of ruins in urban and natural environments.

August 8, 2024 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

Google street view looking up at historic Chicago skyscrapers.

Chicago Towers Recommended for Adaptive Reuse

Once slated for demolition, two historic buildings owned by the federal government will be restored for new uses.

August 8, 2024 - WTTV

View looking up at Zilker Studios apartment building in Austin, Texas.

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.

August 6, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Spray painted words "Tourist Go Home" on wall in Barcelona illustrate locals' frustration with overtourism.

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.

August 5, 2024 - Mary Hammon

A black-and-white photo of a team of white horses pulling a trolley car along a track on a New York City Street, facing the camera.

Mass Transit and Manure: New York’s Lost Era of Horse-Drawn Streetcars

For all the problems we have with today's mass transit system, at least we no longer have to deal with the smell and literal waste of the modern bus and light rail systems' predecessors: horse-drawn streetcars.

August 2, 2024 - William Roka

Aerial view of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with statues.

Philadelphia: An Urban Planner's Guide to the City

One of the nation’s oldest cities, Philadelphia boasts a rich history and a walkable, compact central grid built around public plazas.

July 25, 2024 - Planetizen

Digital drawing of orange Combi microbus popular in Lima, Peru.

Urban Planning in Lima, Peru

For some people, ‘urban planning’ and ‘Lima’ do not go together. In fact, the Peruvian capital effectively highlights various facets of the urban planning world.

July 23, 2024 - Marcelo Remond

Side view of a wooden-sided house with sky-blue shutters.

Slave Descendants in Georgia Fight to Overturn County Zoning Decision

Gullah-Geechee residents of Mcintosh County, Georgia, are seeking a referendum to reverse zoning changes they say threaten their community, one of the last in the South. County commissioners say they don’t have that power.

July 22, 2024 - Associated Pres via Fox 5 Atlanta

Nighttime view of Cincinnati, Ohio skyline

Strength in Diversity: Crafting an Affordable Housing Coalition in Cincinnati

The city’s longtime champions of housing for low-income residents joined forces with an array of allies to establish a sustainable source of funding for affordable housing.

July 12, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Historic red tile roofed train depot in Fresno, California.

Historic Fresno Train Depot Will Become Part of HSR Station

The 150-year-old building will see new life as a retail space as part of a flurry of new development along the upcoming high-speed rail line.

July 4, 2024 - Fast Company

View down New York City street with rick buildings in foreground and modern skyline in background at sunset.

NYC Council Passes ‘Proactive’ Building Safety Bill

In the wake of multiple building collapses in recent years, the bill seeks to identify dangerous building conditions before they escalate.

July 2, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Downtown skyline of metal and glass high-rises on the left with blue lakeshort on the right and a sunny blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.

Chicago: An Urban Planner's Guide to the City

Famous for its skyscrapers, city parks, and influential planners like Daniel Burnham, the Windy City has a long urban planning legacy. But it’s got plenty of modern-day planning wins and challenges too.

June 30, 2024 - Planetizen

Downtown Fort Worth, Texas skyline.

Preserving Fort Worth’s Historic Black Settlements

Communities dating back to the 1830s are under threat from development, pollution, and zoning regulations.

June 26, 2024 - Governing

Jackie Robinson Park sign in Los Angeles County.

Juneteenth Celebrated At Nation's First Jackie Robinson Park

The historic park in Sun Village hosted a vibrant Juneteenth festival, honoring the African American community's resilience and recognizing local leaders and residents.

June 20, 2024 - The Los Angeles Post

Looking up at black multi-story building with Industry City neon sign on corner.

‘Emergent City’ Documentary Highlights Rare Anti-Gentrification Victory

The film charts the saga of a Brooklyn site called Industry City.

June 17, 2024 - Next City

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.