The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Friday Funny: Pedestrian Penalty Cards
Last month we came across an ingenious idea for making your sidewalk frustrations known to offending amblers, while sidestepping the dangers of verbal confrontation.
Are Planners the Victims of a Dastardly Mind-Control Plot?
If you've ever led a public planning process you may be complicit in perpetuating a diabolical conspiracy to coerce Americans into accepting "a United Nations-run communist dictatorship in which suburbanites will be forcibly relocated to cities."
Is a Car More Environmentally Friendly Than Mass Transit?
Angie Schmitt takes issue with the controversial premise of a recent story from the popular Freakonomics guys. True to their reputation for counter-intuition, their most recent report makes the claim that "driving is greener than transit."
Can Food Keep a Michigan City's Mojo Rising?
Keith Schneider looks at Downtown Market, the "newest piece of civic equipment" being built as part of Grand Rapids's transformation from "Furniture City" to vibrant, and growing, hub.
Copenhagen Tops List of Europe's Smartest Cities
Based on a new metric he's developed for defining the components of a smart city, Boyd Cohen ranks the top cities in Europe that are "working the hardest to be the most advanced urban landscape."
Landscape Architects Optimistic About Business Growth
In the findings of an industry-wide survey conducted recently by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), a picture of an improving business environment for landscape architects is emerging.
Chinese Government Responds to Growing NIMBYism
For the last 30 years, China has led the world in economic growth at a hefty environmental price. Widespread protests have prompted the cabinet of China to mandate a "social risk assessment" for industrial projects, reports Keith Bradsher.
Where are America's Most Diverse Neighborhoods?
Jed Kolko examines America's most diverse neighborhoods and finds that not only are they mostly located in the suburbs, but that they also have higher population growth and faster-rising home prices compared to less-diverse neighborhoods.
Historic U.S. Postal Buildings Threatened with Sale and Demolition
The U.S. Postal Service is selling 78 post office buildings, including the National Register listed Berkeley California Post Office building. 4,400 nationwide may be sold with many demolished. What can you do to save your favorite post office?
New Data Shows Crushing Effect of the Recession on America's Disadvantaged
The Great Recession and its aftermath have taken a toll on most Americans, but as a new report from Pew’s Economic Mobility Project shows, it's been far worse for those that can least afford it.
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Planetizen's Responsive Redesign
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Airbnb Draws Tourists Off the Beaten Path
Airbnb connects travelers from around the world to unique rentable spaces. With the recent launch of a "Neighborhoods" feature, Airbnb has the potential to redirect tourist spending to often overlooked areas.
A Housing Plan to Keep Young Professionals in Massachusetts
Young professionals are choosing to live in "smaller, more transit-oriented developments." To keep them in-state, Gov. Deval Patrick plans to incentivize the building of 10,000 multifamily housing units each year through 2020 in Mass.
So You Want To Be a Certified Planner?
While planning seems more intuitive than technical to many the layperson, Los Angeles planner Clement Lau describes what it takes to stay at the top of the profession.
Low Cost Strategies for Reducing Urban Poverty
Eric Jaffe reports, “[a] recent field test in Mexico offers the first experimental evidence that basic infrastructure upgrades — in this case paving streets — have a measurable effect on reducing urban poverty.”
Happy Place of the Olden Days
Scott Bernstein joins in the Happiness Index conversation, starting with references to the Anatomy of Melancholy.
New Name Tops List of World's Most Expensive Shopping Streets
Hong Kong has supplanted New York atop Cushman & Wakefield's list of the ten most expensive shopping streets in the world. London's Bond Street fell out of the top ten due to Britain's weak economy.
California Auctions First Carbon Credits; Chamber of Commerce Sues
California's climate law reached a milestone on Nov. 14 when the state auctioned its first carbon credits in the 'Cap & Trade' provision of the bill. But that didn't stop the CA Chamber of Commerce from filing suit against this provision of the law.
Sandy Was a Double-Edged Sword for Bikes in NYC
In the immediate aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, bicycles appeared to be the big winner in the ensuing transportation chaos. This week, however, it was revealed that efforts to expand bike use in the city were also one of the storm's victims.
A Few Good Monks for Seaside
Philip Bess makes the case for building a permanent community of Benedictines in the new urbanist resort.
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
Sarasota County Government
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
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.
