Land Use

San Francisco

After Decades of Failure, 1,000-Plus Homes Coming to the Balboa Reservoir in San Francisco

Four developers tried, and four developers failed, until the San Francisco Board of Supervisors changed the story in August 2020.

August 13, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

La City Hall Cycling

Los Angeles City Planning Hires First Chief Equity Officer

Faisal Roble, the newly appointed chief equity officer of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, will be tasked with crafting a Racial Equity Action Plan for the department.

August 13, 2020 - MyNewsLA

Massachusetts State Capitol

'Housing Choice' Ready to Overcome the Planning Status Quo in Massachusetts

After several failed attempts, Massachusetts Legislature is close to a breakthrough on the Housing Choice initiative proposed by Governor Baker as a tool for generating a lot of new housing supply in the state.

August 13, 2020 - The Boston Globe

Oregon

The 'Most Pro-Housing Reform in U.S. History' Expected for Approval Today in Portland

The Portland Residential Infill Project is expected for approval by the Portland City Council today, culminating a six year process that became more and more ambitious with every iteration.

August 12, 2020 - Sightline Institute

Ground Floor Retail

Developers Want to Skip Ground-Floor Retail Requirements

Minneapolis developers are agitating against the requirements of mixed-use zoning, saying that it's impossible to find a good tenant for ground floor retail these days.

August 12, 2020 - Star Tribune

Foreclosure Sign

Protecting Distressed Real Estate From Private Equity

Elizabeth Warren and Carroll Fife warn about the potential for the worst housing market outcomes of the real estate and financial crisis of 2008 to repeat without action from federal and state lawmakers.

August 11, 2020 - The Washington Post

San Francisco, California

Can Planners Advance Environmental Justice When Rebuilding Existing Locally Unwanted Land Uses?

Miriam Solis, of the University of Texas at Austin, writes about a recent article she authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

August 11, 2020 - JPER

New York Manhattan Chinatown

Opinion: Upzone Now to Improve Commutes in the Post-Lockdown Future

Building more housing where people work is a simple way to come out of the pandemic with a stronger sense of community and shorter commutes, according to this article.

August 11, 2020 - City and State New York

Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Councilmember Nixes Rezoning Request for Massive Brooklyn Redevelopment Project

Gentrification and displacement concerns won the day over a plan to rezone a former industrial area in Sunset Park, Brooklyn for new retail, offices, hotels and restaurants.

August 11, 2020 - The Real Deal

Los Angeles County Sprawl

Inclusionary Zoning Adopted in L.A. County

The county of Los Angeles is looking for policy tools that will add affordable housing units to the housing market. Inclusionary zoning is its policy of choice.

August 10, 2020 - Urbanize.LA

Seattle Protest

Planning for an Equitable Economic Recovery

The Seattle Planning Commission recently published a report titled "A Racially Equitable and Resilient Recovery."

August 10, 2020 - The Urbanist

Montgomery County

New Growth Plan Could End Development Moratorium in Montgomery County

A planning change would make it easier to develop housing near transit in Montgomery County, Maryland. In 2018, the county adopted a development moratorium intended to prevent overcrowding in schools.

August 10, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines as an Urban Planning Tool

Computer simulations continue to play a novel and important role in urban planning, especially in finding new ways to engage the public and add some fun to the process of planning for the future of cities.

August 10, 2020 - parCitypatory

Sprawl

Connecting Sprawl to Inequality and Climate Change

The consequences of more than a century of planning and zoning are gaining more attention in the media as the country struggles through a pandemic. Will these lessons win new political support for more density in residential neighborhoods?

August 10, 2020 - NPR

Waterplace Park

Transitioning from Climate Justice Planning to Climate Justice Action

The Providence Climate Justice Plan offers an exemplary approach to prioritizing the communities and neighborhoods most impacted by the environmental effects of development and industrial pollution.

August 10, 2020 - Joan Fitzgerald

Chicago, Illinois

Lincoln Yards, Chicago's Controversial $6 Billion Mega-Project, Set to Break Ground

Groundbreaking for the first component of Chicago's massive Lincoln Yards redevelopment project has been scheduled for early 2021.

August 9, 2020 - Chicago Tribune

George Floyd Protests

Planners Call for Deep Police Reforms

A letter signed by over 600 planners calls on the American Planning Association to advocate for fundamental police reforms, in other words, to defund the police.

August 9, 2020 - Bloomberg CityLab

Houston, Texas

Seeking '20-Minute Neighborhood' Status in Texas

The neighborhood of Montrose in Houston has undertaken a self-funded study to assess the facts on the ground about walkability in the neighborhood.

August 7, 2020 - Community Impact Newspaper

DJ dude

I Love the Nightlife: Reopening Entertainment Scenes

The first chapter of a forthcoming report form VibeLab, a nightlife consultancy firm, makes a variety of pertinent suggestions for facilitating al fresco events and safely regulating crowds in a new context.

August 6, 2020 - Bloomberg CityLab

Los Angeles, Hollywood Sign

A 10-Minute Walk to a Park for Your Health and Well-Being

The “10-Minute Walk Campaign” is a nationwide movement to ensure that everyone has safe access to a quality park or green space within a 10-minute walk. In the midst of a pandemic, it is especially important now to have a park close to home.

August 6, 2020 - Planning Magazine

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.