The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

People gather on a street with no cars during the L.E.A.F. Festival of Flowers in the Meatpacking District of New York City.

The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets

Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.

August 14 - The New York Times

Washington D.C. Row Houses

Three-Quarters of D.C. Housing Vouchers Go Unused

Hindered by bureaucratic delays and a tight housing market, voucher recipients in the District have a hard time finding available units.

August 14 - The Washington Post

Sound Transit Seattle

Free Transit Starts September 1 for Seattle Youth

Sound Transit is launching a fare-free program for young riders in the hopes of educating and recruiting future riders and making schools and jobs more accessible to transit-dependent youth.

August 12 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of California aqueduct snaking through arid hills outside Los Angeles

California Governor Outlines Plan for a ‘Hotter, Drier Future’

With California’s water supply expected to drop by 10 percent in the next two decades, Governor Newsom’s strategy calls for conservation and increased investment in water collection, storage, and desalination infrastructure.

August 12 - Los Angeles Times

Worker caulking cracks in a home window

Sealing the Cracks in Weatherization and Home Repair

Deferred home maintenance can lead to serious structural, safety, and health issues. A new program in Pennsylvania aims to fill the gaps in home repair and weatherization programs.

August 12 - Shelterforce Magazine


Traffic in Manhattan New York

Congestion Pricing Details Emerge From MTA’s Environmental Assessment

After more than a decade of delays and reversals, congestion pricing is expected to take effect in Manhattan in late 2023 or early 2024.

August 12 - Gothamist

Man dropping cardboard box in blue curbside recycling bin

BLOG POST

Why Urban Areas Need Increased Access to Recycling

In most residential areas across the United States, recycling is encouraged and offered as a way for residents to sustainably dispose of certain materials. But how many residents actually participate in their local recycling efforts?

August 11 - Devin Partida


U.S> Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg delivers a speech in front of a bridge in Washington, D.C. The podium where he stands has a sign that reads: "Building a Better America."

$2.2 Billion in RAISE Grant Funding Announced for Transportation Projects

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) competitive grant program, supersized by the federal infrastructure bill in 2021, just announced a new round of funding.

August 11 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Aerial view of Salida, Colorado with mountains in background

Colorado Workers Squeezed by Housing Crisis

In Colorado’s booming resort towns, even sleeping in your car has become an unaffordable luxury.

August 11 - Denver Post

An aerial view of Los Angeles at dawn, with Westlake and MacArthur Park in the foreground and Downtown Los Angeles in the background.

Did L.A.’s Supportive Housing Bond Fail?

Six years after Prop HHH was passed, the fund appears to be delivering on its housing construction goals in the 10-year timeline. But the measure is being routinely criticized on all sides.

August 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Women Public Space

Urban Design Through a Gender Lens

Building cities to be safe and accessible for women and LGBTQIA+ people has benefits for all users of public space.

August 11 - Architecture Daily

Rendering of downtown Milwaukee sports stadium with soccer field

Sports Stadiums Bring Few Economic Benefits

While their developers often tout jobs and local economic development as benefits of major stadium projects, research shows these venues often make little impact on local economies.

August 11 - Urban Milwaukee

Dallas Freeways

A How-To for ‘Freeway Fighters’

Ten recommendations for effective freeway removal advocacy.

August 11 - Strong Towns

Rendering of elevated rail ine

Miami Rapid Transit Project Moves Forward

The county completed the draft environmental impact study for a monorail and people mover planned as part of its rapid transit system.

August 11 - The Next Miami

Cars lined up on a street with fire burning in background

Fire Evacuation Planning at the Community Level

Wildfire planning often focuses on individual buildings, but little guidance exists for effective citywide evacuation planning.

August 10 - The Atlantic

Rendering of tiny houses in garden setting

Where Is Salt Lake City’s Tiny Home Village?

A proposed ‘tiny home village’ meant to serve as temporary housing for unhoused residents has yet to break ground more than a year after it was announced.

August 10 - KUTV

Vision Zero

How Communities Can Leverage Federal Vision Zero Funding To Make Streets Safer

Two safe streets advocates give their recommendations for how to effectively use the $1 billion in annual funding available through a federal grant program.

August 10 - Streetsblog USA

A road sign reads "Welcome to City of Wheat Ridge Buckle Up and Drive Safely"

Denver Suburb Points Spotlight at Racial Covenants

A symbolic, but necessary, action.

August 10 - Thee Dever Post

Portland Transit

'Intersections + Identities: A Radical Rethinking of Our Transportation Experiences'

The American Planning Association's free "State of Transportation Planning Report" includes more than two dozen interesting and entertaining chapters by diverse authors on the subjects of planning resilience, equity, technology and mobility.

August 10 - Intersections + Identities A Radical Rethinking of Our Transportation Experiences

Rendering of Memorial Park land bridge

ASLA Commits to Profession-Wide Climate Action

The American Society of Landscape Architects has assembled a task force to create an action plan focused on climate change and biodiversity.

August 10 - ASLA The Dirt

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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.