Report: The State of Public Spaces

A 50-year-old institution takes stock of placemaking in the public realm today.

2 minute read

March 13, 2025, 7:00 AM PDT

By Christine McLaren


Public space with seating and 'The Gathering Place' metal sign on gateway arch in Erwin, TN.

J. Michael Jones / Adobe Stock

Public space advocacy organization Project for Public Spaces has released a landmark report on the challenges and opportunities facing public space today. The report, which is based off of a survey of over 700 public space practitioners from around the world, marks the organization’s 50th anniversary.

The report shows that only 5 percent of practitioners believe that public spaces are meeting the needs of their communities. Instead, 63 percent said that they need improvement, and 32 percent reported that spaces are outright failing.

The report breaks down seven key takeaways from the survey:

  1. The funding systems for public space are broken 
  2. Bureaucratic hurdles are blocking public space gains
  3. Public spaces are bearing the weight of the housing and homelessness crisis
  4. Physical, financial, and cultural barriers are blocking the public’s access to public spaces
  5. Public spaces are the antidote to the loneliness epidemic 
  6. Public spaces are threatened by, but also critical for the adaptation to climate change
  7. Equitable development without displacement is key to placemaking as a force for good

“Much like parenting, successful placemaking requires an approach that puts the holistic care of a public space at the center, and wraps around resources and services that allow the caretakers to do their work well. Until we do this, our cities and towns will fail to unlock the full potential of our parks, streets, markets, public buildings, and other civic infrastructure,” the report states.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in Project For Public Spaces

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight