The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Watch: Sea Walls and the Future of Resilience
Vox and Curbed provide multi-media coverage of a Staten Island sea wall project as an example of the necessity of resilient infrastructure, and the shortcomings of our ability to predict the needs of the built environments in changed climates.
Many Contender Sites for Chicago Casino
The decision about where to locate a new casino project depends on competing goals—to maximize revenues or bring jobs and development to neighborhoods that need them.
San Francisco to Use Conservatorship for Some Mentally Ill Homeless People
Thanks to legislation by Sen. Scott Wiener passed last year, San Francisco will apply a new tool to force treatment on some homeless, mentally ill people who refuse it, but it's limited to five people annually. A new Wiener bill would expand it.
Hanford Nuclear Waste Cleanup Stalls Amid Legal Turmoil
A cleanup of nuclear weapons waste at Washington State's Hanford Site was first outlined in 1989. But now, as state officials wrangle with the federal government, deadlines set in 2016 may still not be met.
Eastern State Penitentiary: A Class about the Past Speaks to the Present and the Future
Built as an embodiment of the ideals of prison reformers, the Eastern State Penitentiary had running water and central heating before the White House, and housed the first synagogue built in an American prison.
Youth Ride Transit Free in Victoria, B.C.
The city of Victoria is using parking revenue to fund free transit for everyone under 18 years old.
On the Massive Carbon Savings of Gentle Density
A thought experiment compares the carbon impact of three new single family homes with the same block if it contained a duplex, a triplex, and a fourplex.
Amazon Donates $3 Million for Housing in Northern Virginia
The online retail giant also donated funding for educational programs at a nearby university and a nearby community college.
Reviving an Old Regional Rail Route to Spur Tourism in Western Massachusetts
The Berkshire Mountains have long been a popular destination for sightseers, tourists, and weekend warriors. A pilot Amtrak route is designed to attract new waves of New Yorkers to the region.
Pedestrian Planning in Response to Worsening Safety Data
Faced with rapidly deteriorating pedestrian safety statistics, Montgomery County in Maryland is getting to work on a new Pedestrian Plan, following closely on the heels of work completed for the county's Bicycle Master Plan.
Advocating for Upzoning in Two of New York's Wealthiest Neighborhoods
The New York City Department of City Planning is expected, very soon, to release a rezoning proposal for the neighborhoods of SoHo and NoHo in New York City.
Around the Globe, Urban Diversity Is Alive and Well
It might feel like the world is shrinking as globalization expands, but many cities still have their individual characters and qualities.
OP-ED: Why Quality Matters in Bike Lanes
The real test of a city’s bike infrastructure isn’t measured in miles of bike lane but in how comfortable and safe they are for everyone.
Doubt Cast on Induced Demand for Housing
Applied to roads, the theory of induced demand says new construction only brings out more users. But can something similar be said of housing? According to this research, the likely answer is no.
'Landmark' Rent Protections Deal Moving Forward in New York
The New York State Legislature has made a deal paving the way for local governments to approve rent regulations—a degree of local control that was previously impossible in the state.
Study: A McMansion Can't Buy Happiness
As houses grow and households shrink, many Americans have a lot more space to themselves. But recent research says they aren't any happier trying to keep up with Joneses.
A Sustainability Plan for Georgia's Most Populous County
Fulton County, Georgia, home to Atlanta, adopted the "2019 Sustainability Plan + Resilience" earlier this month, focused on addressing the effects of climate change.
The Small City Leading the New Era of Redevelopment in California
La Verne is the first city in Los Angeles County, and one of the first in the state, to implement an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, designed to generate a source of funding to replace the loss of redevelopment funds during the recession.
The Case for Upzoning
The parallel crises of pollution and housing affordability require denser zoning of land uses, otherwise known as upzoning, according to this article.
Private Golf Courses Closing in Chicago's Suburbs
Failing golf courses pose a choice for cities that can use tax dollars to turn them public or put the land to use in other ways.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.
