Sad news for the planning community. Houston Planning Director Patrick Walsh, who took leave from his position earlier this year after a cancer diagnosis, has passed away.
Mike Morris and Dug Begley report that Patrick Walsh, who served for five years as Houston planning director, passed away on Friday after battling glioblastoma, the most common and lethal form of brain cancer.
Walsh is credited with "using his five years in that post to nudge the nation’s largest city without zoning toward more innovative thinking."
"A civil engineer as well as an urban planner, Walsh was a Carnegie Mellon University and University of Texas at Austin graduate. The Houston native graduated from Bellaire High School, where he was a drum major," according to the article.
Patrick Walsh sat down with Planetizen for a "Planners Across America" interview shortly after Hurricane Harvey and resulting flooding ravaged the city.
FULL STORY: Patrick Walsh, who led development of Plan Houston, city bike plan, succumbs to cancer

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie