The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

I-45 and I-69

Sun Belt Cities Are Facing Many Changes and Challenges

Cities across this swath of the country have rapidly growing populations and economies. At the same time, Sun Belt cities are contending with a common host of urban issues that should not be overlooked.

August 25 - Urban Edge

Downtown Honolulu as seen from the top of Diamond Head

Five Actions to Combat COVID-19 in Hawaii

A data-driven approach is needed to figure out how the disease has spread in the islands and what can be done to contain it.

August 25 - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

New York City

Design Collective Using Black-Centered Approaches to Transform Cities

BlackSpace seeks to empower Black practitioners and change the way planning and design happens in and affects Black communities.

August 25 - Fast Company

Masks for Public Health

Georgia Mask Ban Reversed After White House Coronavirus Task Force Issues Critical Report

Shortly after a private White House report blasted Georgia's pandemic response, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order allowing cities and counties to impose requirements on mask-wearing. The report was leaked to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

August 24 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hong Kong Towers

Better Planning Needed to Address Effects of Urban Heat Island in Hong Kong

A recent study reveals the detrimental impact of hot nights compared to hot days, with the region experiencing hotter summers and more hot days due to climate change and the heat island effect.

August 24 - SmartCitiesWorld


Uber Car

Ride-Hailing Services Shutdown in California Averted

Uber and Lyft were set to cease operations in California, but an appeals court has granted them a reprieve and the controversy continues.

August 24 - The New York Times

South Los Angeles

South L.A. Townhall Opposes SB 1120 Statewide Upzoning Bill

L.A. City Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Paul Koretz register opposition to SB 1120, calling the bill an attack on the residential integrity throughout the state of California.

August 24 - The Planning Report


San Francisco Rail Transit

Compromise Reached to Save Caltrain

The saga of the three-county sales tax upon which the future of Caltrain depends is now in the hands of voters.

August 24 - KTVU

Tax

Counties and Cities Facing Sudden Dip in Property Tax Revenue

Property taxes have traditionally been viewed as recession-proof channels for local revenue, but first the Great Recession, and now the pandemic depression, are proving to be exceptions to the rule.

August 24 - Forbes

Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding

New Housing Fund Launched in New Orleans

A new housing relief fund has been launched in New Orleans to help low-income residents deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

August 24 - NOLA.com

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Was Already Wiping Out Trees. Then the Derecho Hit.

An Urban Forestry Board is needed in Chicago to unsure the health and safety benefits of a flourishing urban forest.

August 24 - Chicago Tribune

Portland Weird

Comparing the Racial Segregation of U.S. Cities

The City Observatory used American Community Survey from the U.S. Census to compare the segregation of the largest U.S. cities. Portland is the most integrated American city; Detroit is the most segregated U.S. city.

August 23 - City Observatory

California Desert

Desert Species, Endangered by Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Create Controversy

The wind strewn and sunny parts of California are home to many species threatened both by climate change and renewable energy facilities like wind and solar power facilities. What is an environmentalist to do?

August 23 - Los Angeles Times

Duplex

Missing Middle Housing Study Launches in Arlington County, Virginia

Missing Middle Housing, the kinds of additional density that can be added with limited construction on a footprint the size of traditional single-family homes, is gaining momentum in the D.C. region.

August 23 - Greater Greater Washington

Sunset Park, Brooklyn

A Planning Showdown in New York City

The proposal to rezone the Industry City redevelopment area in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn has won a key approval, but a controversial showdown in the City Council still awaits.

August 23 - The Real Deal

New York City Homelessness

The Impacts of Repeated Closures on California Commercial Real Estate

Carl Muhlstein discusses the recent re-closure of California businesses and the subsequent impact on the regional real estate market.

August 21 - The Planning Report

Colorado

Apartment Construction Slowed in 2020, Without the Pandemic's Help

The construction shutdowns and slow economic activity of the pandemic aren't the only reason Denver and other U.S. cities are seeing a slowdown in construction completions in 2020, according to a recent report.

August 21 - The Denver Post

Boston, Massachusetts

How Massachusetts Got its Historic Planning Reform Moment

As reported earlier this month, the Massachusetts Legislature is poised to approve historic statewide land use reforms that would preempt local control of residential development. Here's a detailed account of how the state arrived at this moment.

August 21 - Shelterforce Magazine

New Leadership at the American Society of Landscape Architects

The American Society of Landscape Architects has hired a new chief executive officer: Torey Carter-Conneen, previously chief operation officer of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

August 21 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

Brutalism

Report Details Dire Fiscal Straits of Local Governments

The National League of Cities has produced a highly-anticipated report detailing the fiscal fallout of the sudden and swift economic downturn that followed the coronavirus to American shores.

August 20 - National League Of Cities

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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.