The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

FlyawayHomes shipping container apartments

To Reach Goals, L.A. Looks to New Ways to Build Homeless Housing

Los Angeles is grappling with the rising costs of building housing for homeless people. Rethinking the standard process is a way to save time and money.

October 11 - Los Angeles Times

Downtown Detroit

Big Redevelopment Plan for Detroit Neighborhood, But Little Progress

The Detroit project was slated to become a massive sports and entertainment district. After five years, little has changed.

October 11 - The Guardian

Traffic

Op-Ed: Averting Climate Catastrophe Means Rethinking Our Transportation Habits

Given a recent dire report on climate change from the IPCC, Laura Bliss underscores the point that those who have the ability to do so should make changes to how they get around, and pronto.

October 11 - CityLab

Anthony Foxx Announcement

Former Transportation Secretary Joins Lyft, Explains Why

Anthony Foxx, former Secretary of Transportation under President Obama, has accepted a job at Lyft. In a post, he discusses why.

October 11 - Medium

Del Mar Station TOD

Another SB 827? Ambitious California Housing Bill Isn't Quite Dead Yet

It received a lot of press, but ultimately California's Senate Bill 827 went nowhere. Now, the state senator who introduced the bill is working with advocates who opposed it on another version that just might have better chances.

October 11 - Curbed Los Angeles


Alberta Oil Sands

ExxonMobil's $1 Million Gift to Fight Climate Change Through Carbon Pricing

Two days after a Nobel prize was awarded to William Nordhaus for his work on carbon taxes to address climate change, the largest American oil and gas company announced a $1 million contribution to a group promoting a carbon fee and dividend plan.

October 11 - The Washington Post

View from Bayview Park in San Francisco, California

Bay Area Displacement and Gentrification Trends Have Regional Consequences

Displacement in the San Francisco Bay Area has resulted in distinct mobility patterns and significant race and class inequalities.

October 11 - Urban Displacement Project


Seattle, I-5

Visions for Lidding I-5 in Downtown Seattle

The notion of fully capping I-5 as it runs through central Seattle has been gaining steam. The city could stand to gain hundreds of acres of urban land.

October 10 - Crosscut

California

Brown Signs Housing, Transportation, Clean Energy Laws

On his way out the door, California Governor Jerry Brown created plenty of opportunities for the next administration to continue in his footsteps.

October 10 - The Planning Report

Sockeye Salmon

Alaskans to Choose Between Salmon Habitat Protections and Resource Extraction

A contentious initiative on the Alaska ballot next month pits protecting salmon habitat protections against the interests of the oil and gas industry and mining companies.

October 10 - NPR

Tenants' Rights

Proposed D.C. Council Legislation Would Bar Landlords From Sharply Raising Rents

The bills seek to end landlords' ability to offer rent discounts and then calculate increases based on the original price, rather than on what a tenant was actually paying.

October 10 - Greater Greater Washington

Philadelphia Urban Farm

Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy

For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.

October 10 - MinnPost

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

District By District, Maps Trace Neighborhood Opportunity Across the U.S.

Down to the level of individual census tracts, a team of researchers has developed national maps showing where upward mobility is probable, and where it isn't.

October 10 - The New York Times

Bike and Scooter SHare

Lyft Moves Toward 'Full Mobility Package'

In cities around the country, Lyft is launching green, multimodal initiatives aimed at providing "all of the above" transportation options.

October 10 - The Planning Report

Toronto, Dundas St, Chinatown

New Research Shows Toronto Highly Segregated Along Race and Class Lines

A closer look at the numbers reveals stark divides among Toronto neighborhoods.

October 10 - Toronto Star

Red Light Camera

Pennsylvania Approves Traffic Cameras in Construction Zones

Construction unions fought for electronic enforcement, citing high fatalities in work zones.

October 10 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Austin Texas

Bond Measure Seeks to Remedy Austin's Affordable Housing Woes

A bond referendum on the November ballot would help Austin increase its supply of affordable housing.

October 10 - Next City

View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion

Portland State Invests $3 Million to Study Homelessness and Smart Cities

Two new research hubs will explore the intersections between homelessness, technology, and urban planning.

October 9 - Oregon Live

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

California Energy Efficiency Program Could Be Much More Effective for Low-Income Residents

According to an analysis by the Energy Efficiency for All coalition, California's Energy Savings Assistance Program could be four times as effective for low-income renters if it were better deployed.

October 9 - NRDC

School Chlidren

San Jose Proposes Turning Schools into Teacher Housing, Faces Outcry

A San Jose Unified School District plan to relocate several schools and build affordable housing in their place has sparked controversy. The district says teachers increasingly can't afford to live in the area.

October 9 - The Mercury News

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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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.