The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Mississippi River Missouri

Polluted Chicago Water Travels Over 1,000 Miles and Wreaks Havoc in the Gulf

An algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in an oxygen-starved area the size of Massachusetts. Part of the problem is sewage runoff flowing south from Chicago.

June 22 - Chicago Tribune

Boston Seaport

Boston’s Seaport District, Where Building Started Before Flood Preparation

The Boston waterfront has been booming, but the area is extremely vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. Measures to address those risks have come just recently.

June 22 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

The Burden of Eviction Fall on Single Black Women in Minneapolis

The findings of a recent research project reveal the demographic concentration of evictions in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

June 21 - MinnPost

Texas

HUD Says Dallas Owes Millions for Mismanaging Housing Funds

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is accusing Dallas of mismanagement of funds, and wants its money back.

June 21 - The Dallas Morning News

Cherry Creek

New Plan to Address Homeless Needed in Denver

After Denver voters rejected the "Right to Survive" initiative in May, the city is looking for new ways to "do better" for its homeless population.

June 21 - The Denver Post


Road Maintenance

The Case Against Aldermanic Control of Infrastructure Spending

Chicago’s alderman have control of millions of dollars of street resurfacing "menu money" for local projects. Inspector General Joe Ferguson argues that money would be better spent in a coordinated effort.

June 21 - Chicago Sun-Times

Phoenix, Arizona

A Growth Plan for the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

With a growing population comes a need for more airport capacity, and Phoenix is no different. The challenge is finding the space to grow.

June 21 - Arizona Republic


Michael Graves

Portland Building, Remodeled Instead of Demolished, Might Lose Historic Status

A renovation saved the Portland Building, designed by postmodern pioneer Michael Graves, from demolition, but its likely doomed its status on the National Register of Historic Places.

June 21 - The Architect's Newspaper

Power Plant

It's Official: Obama's Clean Power Plan Has Been Replaced by the Trump Administration

It took less than a year for the EPA to finalize the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which will allow older coal-burning plants to continue operating, in the Trump administration's most consequential environmental rollback accomplished to date.

June 21 - The New York Times

Under Armour Clothing Global Headquarters

A $5.5 Billion Waterfront Plan for Baltimore Wins Opportunity Zone Status

The Port Covington plan was already in line to receive massive subsidies from the city of Baltimore. Now the plan will be the beneficiary of the new federal Opportunity Zone program as well.

June 21 - ProPublica

First-Time Buyers

Investment Money Cornering the Real Estate Market

With so many institutional investors buying homes, it's hard for first-time homebuyers to find space in the housing market.

June 21 - The New York Times

Manhattan Skyline

More Skyscrapers Coming Soon to New York City's Skyline

After a decade of skyward expansion, even more skyscrapers are on the horizon in Manhattan.

June 21 - The New York Times

Globe Life Park in Arlington

Texas Preempts Local Rules on Building Materials

Local governments didn't want the Texas State Legislature to approved HB 2439, but now the bill is officially law. Some communities worry that they can no longer control the aesthetics of new development.

June 20 - NBC DFW

Embarcadero

Revealed: New Plans for San Francisco's Waterfront

The Port of San Francisco is wrapping up a three-year planning process to chart the ongoing transformation of the city's waterfront.

June 20 - San Francisco Chronicle

Los Angeles Bus Rapid Transit

New Bus Rapid Transit Route Takes Shape for the San Fernando Valley

The Valley helped popularize public transit and bus rapid transit in Los Angeles, after the Orange Line achieved immediate, unexpected success last decade. Now new routes are under consideration.

June 20 - Urbanize LA

Chicago Commuter Rail

Op-Ed: Metra Expansion May Encourage Sprawl

The $45 billion transportation bill approved by the Illinois Legislature ended up including more public transit funding than it originally offered, but a Kendall County Metra project raises questions.

June 20 - Streetsblog Chicago

Gm Bus

'Speed' Turns 25: Planners Think About Fast Buses

In the '90s, Keanu Reeves was hurtling down the roads and freeways of L.A. in a bus; 25 years later, city officials ponder ways to bring the city’s average bus speed above 10 mph.

June 20 - Curbed Los Angeles

Compost Pile

Community Composting Network Launching in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia is seeking 25 locations around the city for composting facilities that will help the city achieve its goals of zero waste and litter.

June 20 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Providence, Rhode Island

The Complete Lack of Rental Housing Affordable to People Making Minimum Wage

Rents in 99 percent of counties in the U.S. are not affordable for residents making minimum wage, according to a recent report.

June 20 - Curbed

New York State Capitol

New York Sets Ambitious, Net-Zero Climate Emissions Target

The state of New York's new Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is described by the New York Times as one of the most ambitious climate targets by any state legislature in the world.

June 20 - The New York Times

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Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.