The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.
Pagination
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.