Housing

An aerial image of Bend, Oregon, covered in snow in the winter. The Deschutes River cuts through the middle of town, below an old mill.

Bend First to Comply With Oregon's Statewide Upzoning Law

Oregon made history in 2019 by being the first state to adopt statewide legislation to end single-family zoning. Now, Bend is the first city of more than 25,000 people to comply with that historic legislation.

September 21, 2021 - The Bulletin

A map showing a heat map that represents commute times in an urban area.

Smart Growth Loves Heatmaps

Smart growth can provide many important benefits that are easy to see using informative and beautiful heatmaps—our complex world as viewed by all-knowing gods.

September 20, 2021 - Todd Litman

Texas

Light Upzoning in North Dallas Spurs Backlash

The City Council's decision to allow increased density for a development of single-family homes has received strong opposition from neighbors.

September 20, 2021 - D Magazine

Los Angeles, California

The End of Single-Family Zoning in California

Despite a few high-profile failures, the California State Legislature has approved a steady drumbeat of pro-development reforms that loosen zoning restrictions. The state raised the stakes on its zoning reforms this week.

September 19, 2021 - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Rendering of Culdesac Tempe development

Nation's First 'Zero-Driving Community' Takes Shape in Tempe

Slated to open in 2022, Culdesac Tempe contractually forbids personal vehicles from parking within a quarter-mile radius of the project site.

September 19, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Cabrini-Green facade

Candyman's Real Horror: American Public Housing Policy

The new film, set in one of America's most notorious public housing projects, highlights the failure of affordable housing policy and its impact on Black communities.

September 19, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

San Francisco Apartments

California Won't Extend Eviction Moratorium

State lawmakers did not extend the state's eviction ban, which ends on September 30, putting the future of hundreds of thousands of households in jeopardy.

September 16, 2021 - CALmatters

Rendering of St. John redevelopment site

Austin 'Right to Return' Policy Implemented for the First Time

A North Austin development will be the first approved under the city's new Right to Stay and Right to Return policies, aimed at preventing displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods.

September 16, 2021 - Next City

Seattle

One Quarter of Washington State Renters Fear Eviction

State data show more tenants expect eviction in the coming months even as the state struggles to disburse rental assistance funds.

September 16, 2021 - Washington State Wire

Brooklyn Redevelopment

Study: Market-Rate Development Filters Into Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

New research sheds new light on one of the most hotly debated questions in planning and development.

September 15, 2021 - Full Stack Economics

Gentrification

What We Really Mean When We Say Gentrification

The focus on gentrifying communities has, in many cases, eclipsed the similar problems facing more stagnant neighborhoods.

September 14, 2021 - Vox

Banc of California Stadium

Sports Stadiums as a Battleground for Affordable Housing

Thanks to new enforcement powers, California's Department of Housing and Community Development can now cite cities for failing to meet affordable housing requirements in stadium redevelopment projects.

September 13, 2021 - CALmatters

Houston Townhouse

Racial Bias Still Rampant in the Mortgage Industry

New research that controls for financial factors the industry said would explain disparities shows that race still plays a major role in loan decisions.

September 13, 2021 - The Markup

Arlington Cemetery Station

TOD Plans Take Shape in Prince George's County

The historically car-dependent county is hoping the planned revitalization of the Blue Line Corridor will boost the local economy and help maintain affordable housing.

September 13, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

Coachella Valley

A Stark Picture of the Climate Gap in the Coachella Valley

In the low desert of Southern California, dwindling water supplies and a lack of infrastructure funding pose major challenges for working-class communities struggling to survive.

September 12, 2021 - ProPublica

A Black LIves Matter Protest, with a protestor holding up a sign that reads "Open Your Eyes: Systemic Racism Is Real"

Plan Would Add Thousands of New Black, Latino Homeowners in Milwaukee

A new plan to add 18,000 affordable housing units in Milwaukee is the latest in a string of efforts by the city to ensure housing affordability to all income levels and address the racial homeownership gap in the city.

September 10, 2021 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

St. Paul Minnesota

St. Paul Voters Could Pass the Nation's Strictest Rent Stabilization Ordinance

The extremely strict proposal would eliminate sharp rent increases, but could stifle housing construction and worsen the city's housing crisis.

September 10, 2021 - Minneapolis Post

Rendering of aerial view of Telosa city

Why Tech-Utopian City Plans Fail

Like others before him, e-commerce billionaire Marc Lore wants to build the ideal city from scratch. Urban experts don't have much faith in his chances.

September 9, 2021 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

For Rent

The Pandemic Effect: Landlord Edition

A new survey highlights the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on small landlords, who provide much of the nation's low-cost rental housing.

September 9, 2021 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Trailer Parks

Mobile Home Parks Becoming Unaffordable as Investors Buy Up Properties

Longtime residents of mobile home parks are seeing their land rents go up as corporate investors seek to increase profits, aided in part by federally-backed loans.

September 8, 2021 - NPR

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.

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.