Land Use
Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises
As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?
'Homes for All of Us' Initiative Eases San Diego Building Restrictions
The ordinance, which allows lot splitting and eases permitting for accessory dwelling units, is an effort to boost housing affordability.
What Is CEQA?
Designed to assess the environmental impacts of new projects and provide mitigation measures, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has a controversial history, sometimes serving as a convenient tool for groups intent on stopping or slowing development.
Portland Extends Pandemic Public Space Programs
PBOT will continue two highly successful COVID-era programs that allowed businesses and community groups to repurpose public spaces for pedestrian-oriented uses and engage with customers in safe, accessible outdoor settings.
Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era
The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.
Citywide Master Planning Process Launched in Worcester
The Massachusetts college town, with 200,000 residents, is kicking off the Worcester Now / Next long-range plan with a series of public engagement activities.
Opinion: Conservation and Affordable Housing Can Coexist
Encouraging denser development in urbanized areas is an effective way to protect sensitive flora and fauna from human encroachment.
Vancouver Set To Finalize Broadway Rezoning Plan
A plan to increase density along the city's 'Second Downtown' promises to bring badly needed housing to the corridor as the Broadway subway line nears completion.
Berkeley's Black Churches To Build Affordable Housing
Historically Black churches will use their property to build affordable housing aimed at seniors and other residents being priced out of their neighborhoods.
The Importance of Unintentional Nature in Cities
A new book argues in favor of spontaneous, informal natural spaces.
Traffic Deaths in Cities and Suburbs, a 2020s Update
Traditionally, many cities have had lower car crash death rates than suburbs. But is this still the case?
Atlanta To Nix Peachtree Pedestrian Project
Rather than committing to a new direction for urban design, Atlanta is backpedaling on a 'people-friendly' makeover on three blocks of Peachtree Street.
What Is a NIMBY?
One of the most politically charged and controversial terms in planning, the acronym NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard.
Denver Wants Ground Floor Retail, Sidewalk Extensions to Achieve Main Street 'Vibe'
The Arts District on Santa Fe Drive is considered one of Denver's final frontiers for revitalization. Local stakeholders are targeting zoning changes as a potential solution.
Net Zero Development Coming to New York City
The project, which relies largely on geothermal energy to minimize its carbon footprint, will bring affordable housing and boost storm resilience to an area devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
Dallas Neighborhoods Fight Toxic Zoning
Communities in south and west Dallas are working to introduce zoning reform that would reduce industrial pollution and hold companies accountable for their impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
Where Urban Design And Public Health Intersect
As the pandemic emphasized, the way we design our cities can have lasting impacts on residents' health and wellness.
How Zoning Reform Could Ease Montana's Housing Crunch
A new report recommends increased production of 'missing middle housing' in Montana, which, like other Western states, is experiencing rapid growth and an increasingly tight housing market.
Toward Better 'Rural Places and Planning'
The authors of the new book "Rural Places and Planning" expand beyond stereotypes of the rural to describe a more supportive approach to rural planning.
The Conservative Case for Urbanism
Although walkable urbanism is often seen as a leftist priority, one writer argues that reducing car dependence actually closely aligns with conservative values.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
