Land Use

Aerial view of waterfront houses in Seattle, Washington

How Zoning Changes Could Boost Housing Supply in Seattle

The Puget Sound region could benefit from zoning tweaks that would encourage more transit-oriented development and ‘gentle’ density increases, new research finds.

January 9, 2023 - Urban Institute

View of San Antonio River Walk with colorful umbrellas at tables on waterfront and with boat lights blurred by long-exposure

The Power of Urban Waterfronts

Humans' love of water makes waterways a particularly attractive urban amenity. Why did so many American cities let theirs languish?

January 9, 2023 - Governing

Apartment buildings under construction with crane.

Federal Grants to Fund Zoning Reform Efforts

The ‘Yes In My Backyard’ grants are designed to help cities identify the most effective avenues for increasing density and spurring more housing construction in historically reluctant neighborhoods.

January 9, 2023 - Route Fifty

Close-up of green street sign at Heights Blvd and 8th Street in Houston, Texas with "Historic District" and star logo

Proposed ‘Conservation Districts’ Could Change Preservation in Houston

The proposed model could be a new tool for preserving historic neighborhoods with more flexibility and with a focus on reducing displacement and addressing community concerns.

January 8, 2023 - Urban Edge

RTA train at above-ground platform in Cleveland, Ohio

Study: Cuyahoga County Suburbs Ready for TOD

The growth of transit-oriented development in the Cleveland region is being hindered by zoning codes that limit housing density and excessive parking requirements that drive up construction costs, new research suggests.

January 8, 2023 - Cleveland.com

Overhead view of parking lot with solar panel canopies over parking spots and red car driving in

The Slow Growth of Solar Carports

Placing solar panels over parking lots has multiple benefits, but higher costs have prevented their widespread adoption in U.S. cities.

January 6, 2023 - CNET

New York City Open Streets

Where Open Streets Are Succeeding

The cities that are making their pandemic-era car-free experiments permanent.

January 6, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

People lounging on grass in Alamo Square park in San Francisco overlooking painted ladies Victorian houses and city skyline

Predictions for San Francisco’s Public Spaces

In 2023, will the city’s public spaces be reclaimed by cars, or will pandemic-era interventions lead to permanent change?

January 5, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

View of Washington State beach with grey rocks

Federal Grants Fund Tribal Relocation Efforts

Tribal communities threatened by climate change are opting to relocate or engage in ‘managed retreat’ to save their villages from sea level rise, erosion, flooding, and other climate impacts.

January 4, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

6th Street Viaduct against the Los Angeles skyline at dusk

L.A. Planning Department Adjusts to State Housing Laws

Los Angeles Director of Planning Vince Bertoni was recently interviewed the effects of new state planning and housing laws in the state’s most populous city.

January 3, 2023 - The Planning Report

Single-family homes in a suburb of Dallas, Texas

Is Exclusionary Zoning a Good Thing?

Some commentators defend exclusionary suburban zoning on the ground that it makes affluent suburbanites more willing to pay for public services. But does exclusion create losers?

January 3, 2023 - Michael Lewyn

Los Angeles Residential Street

Lawsuit Filed to Halt L.A.’s Mansion Tax

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is among the groups suing to block the city of Los Angeles’ voter-approved ‘mansion tax.’

December 29, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Multistory wood frame apartment building under construction against blue sky

Congressional Spending Bill Includes First Ever Federal ‘YIMBY’ Grant Program

The $1.7 trillion spending bill approved by Congress earlier in December includes a significant first: $85 million in discretionary grant funding for local governments to remove obstacles to housing development.

December 29, 2022 - Globe St

Aerial view of Houston freeway interchanges with downtown skyline in background

Halted Interstate Expansion Could Proceed in Houston

Local and state officials have come to an ‘historic’ agreement that could move the stalled project forward.

December 28, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Sprawling warehouses and agricultural landscapes mix with low-rise residential developments in the Arizona desert.

Arizona Tapping Groundwater to Fuel Suburban Growth

Critics say Arizona’s growth patterns are unsustainable and dangerous, given the depleted Colorado River and the state’s deepening reliance on groundwater.

December 28, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Street in Paris Latin Quarter with row of bicycles, cobblestone street, and pedestrians

What Is a 15-Minute City?

The buzzword recently popularized by urbanists describes an urban form that dominated cities prior to the rise of autocentric planning.

December 28, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Gravestones along pathway in green Mount Auburn Cemetery

From Garden Cemeteries to Levittown

Tracing the story of the American suburban form.

December 26, 2022 - Governing

Rattlesnakes

L.A. ‘Wildlife Ordinance’ to Protect Biodiversity With Zoning Changes

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission recently approved a new Wildlife Ordinance. The City Council will make the final decision about the ordinance’s approval.

December 22, 2022 - Los Angeles Department of City Planning

A wide highway with a few cars on a gloomy day. Low-rise commercial buildings and more car infrastructure is visible to the side of the road.

Causes and Effects of Widespread Data Center Development

While it’s unlikely to expect local and state governments to insist that data center developments locate somewhere else, specific policy steps can ensure a more positive impact for communities.

December 21, 2022 - The Virginia Mercury

Multicolored four-story New York City buildings with storefronts on ground floor

New York City Council Wants Community Engagement to Lead Affordable Housing Development

New York Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have proposed very different responses to the city’s lack of affordable housing.

December 21, 2022 - Brownstoner

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.