The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Seattle Rental Market Trending Toward the Affordable
The Puget Sound Business Journal is reporting that landlords and developers are concerned about the effects on the market from a wave of new housing supply ready to come online in the region.
Downtown St. Petersburg Ready for Bus System Changes
St. Petersburg will overhaul its bus system in early 2016, expecting improved efficiency from operating on the downtown city grid as well as upgrades to the area that serves as the current hub of the system.
Los Angeles Declares Shelter Crisis Ahead of El Niño
Facing winter storms and flooding, the city of Los Angeles is opening public buildings as temporary shelters for the homeless. Mayor Garcetti also has the option of declaring a state of emergency around the 26,000 people without housing.
Middle-Aged White Americans Take a Significant Turn for the Worse
Why are mortality rates increasing for this group in the United States and not others? The usual suspects—obesity, heart disease, diabetes, smoking are not the killers, The findings resulted in the 2015 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science.
The 50 Worst Traffic Bottlenecks in the United States
This list of the worst places for traffic congestion in the country might cause some rubbernecking of its own.
Los Angeles Changes Color
Adam Rogers chronicles Los Angeles' long and intimate relationship with the electric light. The city's recent choice to adopt LED streetlights has transformed a classic nighttime into something new.
Dallas Area Ready for More Greenfield Developments
A pair of articles details two new, massive greenfield developments on the way in North Texas.
Critiquing the 2015 TIGER Grants: More Isn't Always Better
According to a scathing critique of the most recent round of TIGER funding, many of the awarded projects fall far below the quality that transit advocates expect.
Time to Take the Self-Driving Car Seriously?
So far, only a small minority of major cities have considered self-driving cars in their long-range transportation plans. The question is, should policymakers embrace them or stand in their way?
FEATURE
Three Ways Mobile Transit Payments Will Change How We Move in Cities
One idea for how to make transit better is rolling out in cities across the country: mobile payment of fares on smartphones.
Legalize It: Austin Eases Restrictions on Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units, granny flats, mother-in-law units—whatever you call them, they're now legal in Austin.
Vision from the Future: A 'Dating App' for Deciding Where to Live
One of the earliest researchers at Skype makes a compelling case for one of the potential applications of artificial intelligence: helping humans decide where and how to migrate.
A Wake Up Call for Planning Commissioners
Planning commissioners play an essential role in monitoring issues and projects of critical importance to the welfare of entire neighborhoods and cities. Why then, do so many commissioners seem to be sleeping on the job?
A Planner's Perspective on Brazil's Water Crisis
With water shortages in São Paulo making headlines around the world, Brazil is rethinking its approach to water infrastructure. Arup's Pablo Lazo gives his perspective on the various entities that are acting for change.
A New Talking Point at the White House: Over-Strict Land Use Regulations
Some think President Obama legislates from the "big government" end of the political spectrum, but when it comes to land use, at least, he's getting advice that local real estate markets should be liberated from too much regulation.
Walkability: Good Money After Bad
"We're investing in walkability," always sounds like an encouraging tagline from local governments...or does it?
Some Transportation Funding Gimmicks Are Worse than Others
Carl Davis of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy wants a gas tax increase, not gimmicks, to fund the 6-year transportation bill. Not likely. As bad as they are, they are better than resorting to a repatriation tax, notes the press release.
'Threading the Needle' of Environmental Sustainability and Social Justice for Cities
This blog is part of the World Resources Report (WRR) series. The WRR looks at cities as drivers of economic and social opportunity, and simultaneously as areas with concentrations of poverty, environmental degradation, and inequality.
Too Big to Be Green
The energy costs of big houses on big lots overshadow the benefits of energy efficiency.
BLOG POST
Science and Friendships, for Wilding Cities
How do we personally advance nature in cities? This blog post looks at "urban nature" and the research revealing how me might lessen the damage we do to the nature that surrounds us every day.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State 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.
