Land Use

Loopholes in Texas Development Tax Break Break Affordable Housing Promises
A tax break approved by the Texas Legislature is delivering massive benefits to developers in the state, but advocates say the public isn't getting the promised return on investment.

Mapping the Climate Change Future of the United States
The regions of the United States that have provided the most hospitable to human life and agriculture on the continent will likely be abandoned in a future altered by climate change, according to this interactive mapping project.

The Hypocrisies and Troubles of Local Control
President Trump has opinions about the sanctity of local control that don't agree with his other opinions about local control. This is a cautionary tale.

Senate Report Proposes Land Use and Transportation Reforms to Get Americans Out of Cars
Progress in combating climate change won't be possible unless Americans drive less. And Americans won't be able to drive less without changes to land use patterns in the United States.

New Research Connects Land Use to Ride-Hailing Trips
Many of the places in Chicago generating the most ride-hailing trips with services like Uber and Lyft are accessible by transit, according to new research.

Houston Lacks Zoning—Or Does It? The State Supreme Court Will Decide
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.

Has The Moment Arrived To End Political Interference in L.A. City's Land Use Decisions?
Writing under the nom de plume of the ghost of Ed Logue, an L.A.-based land use professional offers this modest proposal for eliminating political interference and campaign cash from L.A. city planning.

Wildfires in the West Are Climate Change Lessons for Everyone
The wildfires burning throughout the West, with terrible but photogenic consequences, come with a reminder that it's only going to get worse unless massive changes are made right here in the United States.

Obama Library Displacement Concerns: City Council Falls Short of Local Demands
The Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance intended to protect residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the planned Barack Obama Presidential Center.

Opinion: Denver Needs New Direction on Housing
A Denver writer calls attention to the city's worsening housing affordability, gentrification, and displacement challenges, and prescribes a YIMBY response.

Parking Is King in Kansas City
Huge amounts of land are dedicated to asphalt in Kansas City—about twice as much land than is dedicated to buildings. Fiscal dependence on vehicular infrastructure, however, is not unique to Kansas City.

Planning for Transit Oriented Development in a City of 40,000
Crystal Lake, Illinois offers a transit oriented planning case study on the edge of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Early Returns on Austin's New Density Bonus Program: 2,337 Affordable Housing Units
Since late 2019, developers who deliver affordable housing units in Austin have received bonuses in height, density, parking, and other regulatory metrics, leading to a large number of new affordable housing units in the pipeline.

Debunking Traffic Safety Myths as Pedestrian Fatalities Increase
Angie Schmitt, former editor at Streetsblog USA, has written a new book about pedestrian fatalities, which works to dispel some of the myths about traffic safety in the United States.

Revealed: $2.2 Billion Redevelopment Plan for Philadelphia's Waterfront
The city of Philadelphia has a new, highly anticipated plan for a valuable site on the Delaware River waterfront.

A 'Dining Revolution' Comes Home
A California bill approved in 2018 legalized restaurants to locate in homes, setting the foundation for a new restaurant economy just when communities needed it most.

Keeping Bees Away from Honey? Corruption Cases Expose Flaws in L.A. City’s Land Entitlement Process
Three former Los Angeles public officials share their collective perspective on how best to reform the city of Los Angeles' corrupted land use approval process.

'Place-Healing': From Adaptation to Manifesto
Amid pandemic and protest, the need for urban mending has become abundantly clear, with responses that invoke the more ethereal elements of a physical place I like to call it "place-healing," a term that seems right for the times.

Missing Middle Density Will Take More Than Zoning Changes
Looking for change in the housing supply? "Don't stop at the zoning code and think you're done. There's so much work left to do."

The Freedom Georgia Initiative Buys 97 Acres to Build a New Black Community
Inspired by the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and a speech by rapper Killer Mike, a group of Black families is investing from the ground up in a new community that prioritizes the safety and financial empowerment of Black residents.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie