Land Use

London 2012 Olympic Games

For Host Cities, Olympic Legacies Are Mixed

The two-week competition is often touted as a galvanizing force for urban development. But that's only cities include the Games' legacy in their planning process from the start.

August 25, 2016 - Curbed

Sprinkler Sprawl

Study: Economy and Population Growing Faster Than Humanity's Footprint

The study compares data between 1993 and 2009.

August 25, 2016 - EurekAlert

Portland Green Loop

Portland Residents Participate in Design of 'Green Loop'

Community input is crucial to a plan that would wrap Portland in a ring of greenery and pathways.

August 25, 2016 - Next City

Far Rockaway

New York Ready to Focus Revitalization Efforts in Far Rockaway

A Politico article describes the Far Rockaway neighborhood as still reeling from the effects of Superstorm Sandy and a history of underinvestment. The city is ready to launch a $91 million redevelopment effort to change all that.

August 25, 2016 - Politico New York

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

President Obama Designates New National Monument in Maine

The announcement that 87,500 acres of land in Maine's North Woods would become a national monument came the day before the centennial of the National Park Service. The designation is also sure to be controversial.

August 25, 2016 - Portland Press Herald

Yellowstone National Park

Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service

"The fundamental idea behind the parks is that the country belongs to the people," says President Obama.

August 25, 2016 - National Park Foundation

Echo Park

Los Angeles' Neighborhood Integrity Initiative Presents Demands to City Leaders

Last week, leaders of the initiative to curb development in L.A. surprisingly presented Mayor Eric Garcetti with an ultimatum: Agree to their list of demands by August 24, or they will take the issue to the March 2017 ballot.

August 24, 2016 - The Planning Report

Boyle Heights

East Los Angeles Community Groups Prove that Community Planning Matters

The landscape of community development in Los Angeles today differs vastly from even a few years ago. Two groups in East L.A. are developing solutions to accelerating gentrification and displacement and a compounding affordable housing crisis.

August 24, 2016 - The Planning Report

Fringe Development

California's $400 Million for By-Right Affordable Housing Dies in the Legislature

An affordable housing proposal proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown failed to marshal the necessary support in the State Legislature, facing opposition from a coalition of labor and environmental groups, as well as the League of California Cities.

August 24, 2016 - San Francisco Housing Action Coalition

Food Trucks

Minneapolis Grapples with Food Truck Regulations

Downtown property owners are clashing with food truck operators over where the latter should park their businesses.

August 23, 2016 - MinnPost

Charlotte, North Carolina

Study: Bad Arterials Poison Good Residential Streets

It's something we feel intuitively: poorly-designed arterial roads make for less comfortable neighborhoods. That remains the case even if the adjoining residential streets are quiet and safe.

August 23, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Eichler

The Silicon Valley Adds Another Single-Story Overlay District

The footprint of the so-called single-story overlay districts is growing in the Silicon Valley.

August 23, 2016 - San Jose Mercury News

LA Oldest Palm Tree

Study Examines the Effect of 'Holdouts' on the Development Patterns of Los Angeles

After building an argument that land assembly is key to reinventing cities for a new era, a new study identifies the impact of the landowners standing in the way of that progress.

August 22, 2016 - American Economic Association

Empty Parking Garage

Carless Renters Still Get Stuck With a $440 Million Bill

A new study provides evidence of how the incredibly high costs of parking get spread around—even to people who don't have cars.

August 20, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

As Affordability Worsens, State and Local Governments Act on their Own

New data points to the continued worsening of rental housing affordability. Due to a lack of federal response, some state and municipal governments are taking matters into their own hands in an attempt to add to their supply of affordable housing.

August 20, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Denver Region

Denver Suburbs Preparing for a Transit-Oriented Future

With a slew of new rail transit lines opening on the FasTracks system, Denver-area suburbs are readying their development environments for transit-oriented opportunities.

August 19, 2016 - The Denver Post

Seattle

Reviewing Potential Amendments to the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan

The Seattle City Council is currently considering the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan. The plan could change significantly from Mayor Ed Murray's proposed draft to the final, approved version.

August 17, 2016 - The Urbanist

Google Self-Driving Car

The Car-Centric Future of Planning Data

Data collection used for planning purposes has traditionally focused on cars, rather than people. So far, innovative transportation technologies seem unconcerned with changing that pattern.

August 17, 2016 - City Observatory

Lessons From Manhattan's First 'Shared Streets' Event

New York City has several famous examples of pedestrian-only environments, but last weekend's Shared Streets event was an experiment in co-existence.

August 16, 2016 - StreetsBlog NYC

Gowanus

Neighborhoods Push for Benefits in New York Zoning Plan

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus was recently added to Mayor de Blasio’s sweeping zoning reform plan. But Gowanus also has plans of its own.

August 14, 2016 - New York Times

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.