The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Del Mar Station TOD

Four Ways L.A. Metro Is Increasing Affordable Housing

A median-income family in the L.A. metro area spends 73 percent of their income on housing and transportation alone. L.A. Metro explains why and how they're taking huge steps to get affordable housing on land they own—where it will do the most good.

September 7 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

About City Gates and Gateways, With a Political Gloss

A year of political obsession with walls along national borders has Chuck Wolfe contemplating city gates of the past and present. Using the foil of proposed border walls, he examines the historic role of city gates, modern gateways, and more.

September 7 - The Huffington Post

L.A. Live

FEATURE

Theme Park Urbanism

An op-ed rejects a notion of urbanism that would find a home in Disneyland, for a version of urbanism that deploys the best efficiencies and benefits of the built environment.

September 7 - Gerhard Mayer

Piedmont Park Atlanta

The Makings of Healthy Places

What makes for a healthy place? Kaid Benfield points to density of dwellings, intersections and public transport, plus access to parks.

September 6 - PlaceShakers

Accessory Dwelling Unit

State Law Paves the Way for More Granny Flats in California

The state of California stepped into to make it easier for local governments to approve permissive regulations of accessory dwelling units.

September 6 - Los Angeles Times


A New Era for Drone Aviation

New rules for commercial drone aviation went into effect on August 29, clearing the way for rapid adoption of the technology.

September 6 - Associated Press via The Dallas Morning News

How U.S Road Safety Compares to Other Countries

That is, not very well.

September 6 - The Economist


Houston Flood

Developments Surrounding Houston's Distressed Dams

The Houston Chronicle continues a series of feature articles about the persistent flooding of the region. The latest installment examines the tenuous position of the Addicks and Barker dams.

September 6 - Houston Chronicle

Over $14 Million Awarded to Eight Projects to Find Alternatives to Gas Taxes

The U.S. Department of Transportation is funding ways to transition from the gas tax to other user-based revenue mechanisms to fund transportation infrastructure. The federal gas tax hasn't keep pace with transportation expenditures since 2008.

September 6 - U.S. D.O.T. Press Release

Fracking

Anti-Fracking Initiatives Fail Before Getting to the Ballot in Colorado

An initiative to prohibit fracking within 2,500 feet of an occupied building and another that would have allowed local governments to ban fracking will no longer be on the ballot in Colorado.

September 6 - Grist

Kansas State University

A Story of Success: Manhattan, Kansas

The story of a revitalized economy in Manhattan, Kansas is a story of thorough partnership with Kansas State University.

September 6 - The Topeka Capital-Journal

Subway Sign

The Market Rate of a Shorter Commute

Analysis by FiveThirtyEight offers a lesson in trade-offs. In this case: how much more New Yorkers are willing to pay for less time spent commuting.

September 6 - FiveThirtyEight

Cherry Blossom Washington, D.C.

BLOG POST

Urban Sanity: Understanding Urban Mental Health Impacts and How to Create Saner, Happier Cities

Some experts claim that city living causes mental illness and unhappiness, but a new study indicates that urban environments provide many mental health benefits. Better planning can help make sane and happy cities.

September 6 - Todd Litman

The Shard

London's Cascading Displacement Effects Start at the Top of the Income Ladder

New research from the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics finds evidence of the displacement of elites from affluent neighborhoods in London.

September 5 - The Guardian

Cupertino

White Flight Continues From Ethnoburbs Around the Country

As affluent whites have returned to more urban areas, some might think that white flight is a relic of the 20th century, but overwhelming evidence shows that white flight continues, just in a different place and time.

September 5 - Pacific Standard

Cap-and-Trade Bill Boosts California's Struggling Biomass Facilities

California's new rigorous renewable portfolio standard of 50 percent by 2030 will support a renewable energy source that serves the dual purpose of reducing forest fire hazards.

September 5 - Planetizen

Chicago's South Side Gains New Bus Service

New and improved bus service launched on the South Side of Chicago over Labor Day weekend.

September 5 - Chi.Streetsblog

Taco Truck

'A Taco Truck on Every Corner' Offers a Teachable Moment

The lessons to be learned when considering the idea of a taco truck on every corner include definitions of components of the built environment like corners, intersections, and taco trucks, as well as examples of concepts like supply and demand.

September 5 - The Washington Post

California

Demographic Changes and Environmental Leadership in Sacramento

It has been a good year for environmentalists, but it hasn't come easily, as seen in the much-celebrated but delayed passage of SB 32 that continues the landmark emissions reductions first set in 2006. Joe Mathews explains the transitions underway.

September 4 - Zocalo Public Square

Canada Trail

Meet Canada's 'Great Trail'—20,770 Kilometers of Car-Free Trail

It doesn't matter what country you're from, if you like to ride your bike in beautiful places away from cars, you'll be envious of Canada's Great Trail.

September 4 - MTL Blog

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

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

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

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.