The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Photo of man looking at large painting.

FEATURE

Meet Our New AI Columnist!

In a new monthly column for Planetizen, planner and artificial intelligence expert Tom Sanchez invites a conversation about how AI will shape urban planning — and how urban planners can (and should) shape AI.

5 hours ago - Planetizen

Nevada State Senate building.

Nevada Legislature Unanimously Passes Regional Rail Bill

If signed by the governor, the bill will create a task force aimed at developing a regional passenger rail system.

7 hours ago - KRNV News 4

Blue sidewalk curb cut painted with white accessibility symbol.

How Infrastructure Shapes Public Trust

A city engineer argues that planners must go beyond code compliance to ensure public infrastructure is truly accessible to all users.

7 hours ago - Governing

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

Photos: In Over a Dozen Cities, Housing Activists Connect HUD Cuts and Local Issues

We share images from six of the cities around the country where members of three national organizing networks took action on May 20 to protest cuts to federal housing funding and lift up local solutions.

May 28 - Shelterforce Magazine

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

FEATURE

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

May 28 - Diana Ionescu

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28 - Mass Transit


Traffic in front of Trump Hotel in Manhattan, New York City.

Judge Extends NYC Congestion Pricing Through at Least June 9

A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s effort to kill the program, which remains in limbo as a lawsuit filed by the MTA moves forward.

May 28 - Associated Press via KCRA

AI-generated image of high-speed rail trail in elevated track in green hilly farmland.

FEATURE

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI

It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

May 28 - Tom Sanchez


View from hilltop residential neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, California on a cloudy day.

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals

Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

May 27 - LAist

Canada geese and ducks on the shore of a lake with red brick boathouse in background across the lake in Lincoln Park, Los Angeles.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home

Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

May 27 - Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Children inside large slide at water park.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade

To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.

May 27 - Antelope Valley Press

Close-up of black and yellow oak borer beetle.

Help Stop the Beetle Killing Southern California’s Oak Trees

Claifornia residents can join a volunteer “blitz” this June to help detect and map infestations of an invasive beetle that is killing thousands of oak trees across Southern California.

May 27 - University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

A subdivision of large suburban homes, some with bright blue pools, sits atop a low hill in Hays County, Texas.

Bill to Allow Smaller Homes on Smaller Lots Resurrected in Texas House

A top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the legislation would make it easier to construct homes on smaller lots. A House Democrat briefly killed the bill.

May 27 - The Texas Tribune

Cyclists riding on green painted bike lane protected by flexible post delineators in Chicago, Illinois.

Growing up Car-Free in Chicago

One Chicago youth recounts their experience growing up in a car-free household.

May 27 - Streetsblog Chicago

"Heat Danger Extreme Today" sign on desert roadside with orange flags on either side.

U.S. Braces for Another Record-Breaking Summer of Heat and Drought

The U.S. is heading into another dangerously hot summer, with widespread extreme heat, drought, and wildfire risks compounded by underfunded federal agencies and growing pressure on local governments to protect vulnerable communities.

May 27 - The Guardian

Afternoon light illuminates the landscape with orange tethered hot air balloon, vintage airplane, and carousel at Great Park in Irvine, California.

Irvine Ranked Second in Nation for Outstanding Park System

Irvine’s parks earned national recognition for their exceptional access, investment, and amenities, ranking second in the U.S. and first in California in the Trust for Public Land’s 2025 ParkScore Index.

May 26 - City of Irvine

Aerial view of Shared Roof apartment building in Seattle with glass greenhouse on roof.

Seattle Families Build Their Dream Apartment Building From Scratch

A group of friends decided to buy land and finance the construction of a custom-built apartment building with unique apartment layouts and sizes and a wealth of shared amenities.

May 26 - Fast Company

A yellow RTD train at platform at Union Station in Denver, Colorado.

Colorado Officials ​P​lan Denver-Fort Collins Rail Service ​by 2029

About $40 million a year in state funding from new transportation fees could be the key to getting a short passenger rail line from Denver to Fort Collins up and running in the next four years, Colorado officials said last week.

May 26 - Colorado Newsline

Mycena stipata, commonly known as clustered pine bonnet, mushroom from Finland growing out of the end of a log.

Bioremediation for Environmental Justice

Bioremediation uses plants, fungi, and microbes to clean up polluted land in place, offering a nature-based option for restoring contaminated sites in overburdened communities.

May 26 - Progressive City

Line of RVs being used as homes parked on street in Mountain View, California.

Seattle Safe Parking Site to Close, Relocate

A nonprofit leases lots during permitting stages to erect tiny homes and RV safe parking sites for unhoused residents. But the model means constant uncertainty and displacement.

May 25 - The Seattle Times

Orange Los Angeles Metro bus passing on blurred street at night.

LA ‘Mobility Wallet’ Increased Quality of Life for Participants

The city distributed a monthly $150 transportation subsidy to 1,000 low-income Angelenos. It dramatically improved their lives.

May 25 - KTLA

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