The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

Alabama Community Sues State DOT Over Flooding
Residents of Shiloh, Alabama want to hold the state department of transportation responsible for flooding caused by a highway expansion project.

The Link Between Public Transit and Justice
The chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association argues that a robust transit system is key to ensuring people on all sides of the justice system can access courts and resources.

Congress Kills Office Conversion Tax Credit
A federal tax incentive for energy efficiency upgrades is going away next year.

How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts Transportation
Five ways the bill negatively impacts U.S. transportation policy.

California Creates Housing-Focused Agency
Previously, the state’s housing and homelessness programs fell under a grabbag department that also regulates the alcohol industry, car mechanics, and horse racing.

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

Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville
Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.

Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009
Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

‘Architectural Epidemiology:’ Centering Public Health in Urban Design
A new book asks, what if cities were designed around health equity?

Study: London Low-Traffic Neighborhoods See 35% Drop in Road Injuries
London’s effort to reduce speeds and limit vehicles in parts of the city are contributing to improved road safety.

Dorm-Style Housing: A Solution for DC’s Vacant Office Buildings
Adapting office buildings to dorm-style housing with shared spaces is a much more affordable option than repurposing offices into apartments.

Opinion: LOS has ‘No Redeeming Quality’
The commonly used Level of Service metric that grades intersections based on traffic speed rather than safety is a key contributor to dangerous roadways.
Pagination
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Portland
City of Laramie
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.