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An Accurate Answer to an Interesting Question: Are Compact Neighborhoods Really Most Affordable?

Contrary to recent claims, the evidence really does indicate that compact, multi-modal neighborhoods tend to be most affordable overall, considering both housing and transportation costs.

June 1 - Todd Litman

Rep. Earl Blumanauer

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer Writes in Favor of Self-Driving Cars

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), a famous advocate for alternative transportation, has thrown his support behind the epoch-changing potential of self-driving cars.

May 31 - Wired

San Francisco Construction

Conflicting Views on How Best to Combat Gentrification, Explained

Two new reports, and one older one, assign unequal significance of the ability of new market rate housing to filter older housing into affordability.

May 31 - East Bay Express

Transit Oriented Development

Op-Ed Supports Value Capture-Enabled Transit Investments

Two USC professors argue that Los Angeles would be better served if Metro could recapture some of its investment in the county's expanding rail system.

May 31 - Los Angeles Times

Detroit Vacant Properties

Federal Agencies Investigating the Rising Costs of Detroit's Blight Program

Detroit's aggressive blight reduction strategy, to demolish vacant homes by the thousands, is coming under scrutiny for rising costs. The FBI and the U.S. Inspector General are investigating.

May 31 - Detroit Free Press


Bike Path

A Chicago Bike Path Goes Underused

While a federally-funded network of bike paths is in the works elsewhere in the city, the Major Taylor Trail gets little use from Chicago residents. The main problems are a lack of awareness and the South Side's fearsome reputation.

May 31 - Chicago Tribune

Florida - Hurricane Frances Approaching (2004)

Op-Ed: Talking Resilience Isn't the Same as Being Resilient

Resilience, as such, isn't a problem. But Alex Beam takes issue with the current flood of resilience-related jargon. Can you blame him?

May 31 - The Boston Globe


Los Angeles

Los Angeles' Ballot Box Planning and Development Initiatives Leaders Discuss Impacts

Two major ballot initiatives would change the state of planning and development in L.A. As the housing and planning crisis reaches new levels, initiative leaders and land-use experts discuss how to create a viable path forward.

May 31 - The Planning Report

Pont Neuf

In Paris, Tough Talk on Income Segregation

As is so often the case worldwide, many Parisians live in communities distinguished by class. The city government wants to change that by inserting thousands of public housing units in wealthy central districts.

May 31 - CityLab

405 Traffic

Women Spend More Time in Traffic Than Men

On average, women spend longer in traffic than men—perhaps because of the gendered division of labor that still exists in many households.

May 31 - Pacific Standard

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

What If Buses Could Pass Over Cars?

The latest from China: a concept for street-straddling buses that cars could pass underneath. The giant vehicles could improve worsening traffic and already-dire pollution levels, taking the place of many conventional buses.

May 31 - CityLab

Elderly Walking

10 Ways to Make Cities Livable for the Elderly

How can the New Urban Agenda respect the elderly—and make cities better for all of us in the process?

May 30 - Next City

Fort Lauderdale

Broward County, Florida to Select from Four Sales Tax Options on November Ballot

They could opt for a one percent, 30-year infrastructure tax, a .75 percent, 20-year transportation sales tax, approve both, or reject both. The two competing measures arise from differences between the county's 31 cities and county commissioners.

May 30 - Sun Sentinel

Highest Gas Prices are Lowest in 11 years

Yes, gas prices are both lowest and highest. When compared to past Memorial Day weekends, it's the lowest since 2005, and by no coincidence the highest amount of travelers will take to the roads since the same year. Guess what that is doing to VMT?

May 30 - Daily Fuel Gauge Report (AAA)

Seattle Apartments

Seattle May Follow San Francisco in Tossing Conventional Level of Service Standards

Mayor Ed Murray released a 20-year growth plan, Seattle 2035, that retains LOS, but rather than measuring vehicle congestion, measures mode share, consistent with his vision for a green and sustainable city, but rattling The Seattle Times.

May 30 - The Seattle Times

Wheelock Parkway

Inside the Mysteries of St. Paul's Wheelock Parkway

An exploration, historical and geographic, of St. Paul's Wheelock Parkway reveals the twists and turns of transportation infrastructure.

May 30 - MinnPost

A New Children's Book for Teaching Green Urbanism

Next City shares news of a colorful new book for children that introduces the objects of a environmentally-friendly build environment.

May 29 - Next City

Citi Bike Rack

Meet Citi Bike's Top Users—Some Have Pedaled More than 4,000 Miles

Some users accrue more data than others.

May 29 - New York Post

Arts District

The Arts District and the 'Missed Opportunity' of Planning in L.A.

Downtown L.A.'s Arts District transformed from an industrial sector to a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. Now, the community's attempts to protect their vision from haphazard development illuminate Los Angeles's broken planning process.

May 29 - The Planning Report

Soup Kitchen

Talking Point in D.C. Homeless Housing Debate: 'Homeowner Lives Matter'

An already controversial proposal to disperse homeless shelters and service around Washington, D.C. is finding new ways to be controversial.

May 29 - Greater Greater Washington

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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.