The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Park Slope, Brooklyn

New York City’s Housing Shortage Continues

Decades-old policies have led to a deepening shortage of housing units, particularly for low- and middle-income households.

October 11 - New York 1

Worker in yellow vest and white hard hat looking down at water basin at wastewater treatment plant

Boise To Test Wastewater Recycling Tech

The city will launch a pilot program to assess five methods of treating wastewater to identify the most effective solution for a scaled-up program.

October 10 - Idaho Press

goMARTI autinomous shuttle van

Minnesota Uses Autonomous Shuttles To Improve Mobility

A pilot program will provide free rides to help rural and elderly residents reach more destinations.

October 10 - LPTV

Man on a scaffold repairs a stucco wall.

Pennsylvania Law Ties Building Repair Loans to Affordability

A new state program provides forgivable loans for residential repairs and retrofits to landlords who don’t raise rents by more than 3 percent.

October 10 - Next City

Close-up  of wooden beehive with bees flying in and out

A Sweet Deal: Zoning for Honeybees

A Boston ordinance could make it easier for residents to take up urban beekeeping.

October 10 - The Boston Globe


Aerial view of coastline with homes in Encinitas, California

San Diego County Cities Lean on ADUs as Affordable Housing Solution

Some jurisdictions are making ADUs easier and cheaper to build, but rents on even small units remain high as the region struggles to meet its housing production goals.

October 9 - The Coast news

"NO Public Restroom" sign on restaurant window

Opinion: Opening Restrooms to Public Is Good for Business

For many people with chronic illnesses, access to public restrooms can be a critical medical issue. Incentivizing businesses to open their restrooms can fill a critical gap in U.S. cities.

October 9 - Bloomberg CityLab


Aerial view of downtown Baltimore, Maryland with freeways in foreground

Baltimore Seeks Federal Highway Removal Grant

Advocates of highway removal hope the Reconnecting Communities Act will help fund efforts to tear down a freeway that devastated West Baltimore neighborhoods.

October 9 - Next City

House under construction

Housing Construction Slowest at Both Ends of Wealth Spectrum

Communities with the slowest rates of new housing construction are either heavily undervalued, leading developers to avoid them, or extremely wealthy, giving residents leverage to employ zoning and land use to block development.

October 9 - Urban Institute

Still image of EPCOT city concept from Disney's 1966 promotional film

BLOG POST

EPCOT: The Original 'Smart City'

What can today’s futurists learn from Disney’s unrealized utopia?

October 7 - Diana Ionescu

Shotgun Homes, New Orleans

New Orleans Housing Report Card: “F” for Affordable Housing

A New Orleans nonprofit has failed the city’s affordable housing efforts for the third year running, citing local agencies’ inability to convert the city’s many underused properties into safe and affordable housing.

October 7 - Fox 8

Aerial view of South Bend, Indiana

South Bend Offers Small Developers Pre-Approved Housing Templates

The city hopes the templates, along with other incentive programs, will spur more housing construction on its vacant lots while maintaining neighborhood character and streamlining the development process.

October 7 - Strong Towns

Urban Living

D.C. Regional Framework Emphasizes Equity, Connectivity

The Region United Framework for 2030 outlines a plan for sustainable, equitable development, calling for a 'holistic' approach to regional planning.

October 7 - Greater Greater Washington

Disneyland, Main Street

"Imagineering" Versus Planning

The conference of the California chapter of the American Planning Association took place across the street from Disneyland this week. What Disney does for fictional landscapes, planners must do for real landscapes.

October 6 - California Planning & Development Report

Wildlife crossing bridge over roadway in Banff, Canada with snow-topped mountains in background

Wildlife Crossings as Key Infrastructure

Animal-vehicle collisions cause billions in property damage, hundreds of human deaths, and dramatic losses in animal populations every year. Monitoring migration and building for animals can make roads safer for everyone.

October 6 - Governing

gaslamp Quarter

San Diego No-Fault Eviction Ban Expires

A temporary ban on evictions without cause was lifted on September 30, spurring fears that landlords will aggressively push tenants out of apartment units to raise rents.

October 6 - Fox 5

Empty Parking Lot

The Death of Parking Requirements

More cities and states are recognizing the harmful impacts of minimum parking requirements, which in many cases have accelerated sprawl and raised the cost of housing construction.

October 6 - Time Magazine

Drawing of mixed-use development at Edgewood/Candler Park station in Atlanta

MARTA Completes New Transit-Oriented Development

A mixed-use complex in Edgewood/Candler Park brings hundreds of new housing units, retail, and office space to the area.

October 6 - Saporta Report

Orange Line platform with woman waiting with suitcases, Boston, Massachusetts

Lessons from Boston’s Orange Line Shutdown

A month-long shutdown of one of the region’s busiest lines prompted the city to experiment with temporary bus lanes, reoriented streets, and free bikeshare.

October 6 - Governing

Interstate 375 in Detroit with church in background

Detroit Freeway Removal Plan Awarded Federal Grant

A decade-old plan to elevate a below-grade segment of Interstate 375 and replace it with a lower-speed boulevard could begin two years ahead of schedule thanks to USDOT funding.

October 6 - The Detroit News

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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.

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.