The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Pennsylvania

Will Philly's New Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Yield Results?

City leaders hope a new affordable housing law will increase the supply of affordable units in the city, but critics say the policy may lead to reduced construction and higher housing costs.

February 21 - Bisnow

East Bay Area

Report Recommends Affordable Housing for Artists, 'Cultural Workers'

A report providing recommendations for Berkeley's Housing Element update recommends allocating affordable housing and exploring a guaranteed basic income program for creative workers.

February 20 - Berkeleyside

Public Health

The Pandemic Is Not Ending—But Restrictions Are

The science hasn't changed but the politics have, and policymakers are responding appropriately. Transmission of the coronavirus during the Omicron wave remains at an all-time high, although infections are decreasing globally.

February 20 - Bloomberg Prognosis

Miami, Florida

Miami Housing More Expensive Than New York City, Report Says

New data shows stratospheric housing costs in cities not named New York.

February 20 - The Real Deal

New York City Subway

Subway Ridership on a Post-Omicron Rebound in New York City

Checking in with the New York transit system amid a period of relative recovery.

February 20 - AMNY


Downtown Reno

Nevada Earmarks $300 Million For Affordable Housing

The state's housing division has approved a $300 million bonding authority aimed at supporting more affordable housing construction.

February 18 - Nevada Appeal

El Paso

Report Criticizes El Paso Interstate Expansion Plan

An independent review of TxDOT's proposed expansion of I-10 through downtown El Paso highlights several flaws and a price tag close to $800 million.

February 18 - CBS 4 El Paso


 The Young Apartments — 1621 South Grand Avenue, at the southern end of Downtown Los Angeles.

L.A. Tenants Hit With Sudden Rent Hikes Under 'Discounted Rent' Loophole

A legal loophole has allowed some Los Angeles landlords to sharply raise rents on apartments that would otherwise fall under the city's rent stabilization ordinance and pandemic-related rent freeze.

February 18 - LAist

Rendering of proposed Church Street raised separated cycletracks and reduced traffic lanes

Separated Bike Lanes, Traffic Calming Coming to Decatur Street

Decatur's Church Street is set to undergo a transformation that will reduce traffic lanes, add cycletracks, and widen sidewalks in an effort to make the corridor more 'people-friendly.'

February 18 - Urbanize Atlanta

Empty Road

PLANOPEDIA

What Is Car-Centric Planning?

'Car-centric planning' refers to urban planning that privileges the private automobile as a primary transportation mode, often to the exclusion of people who walk, bike, or use public transit.

February 17 - Diana Ionescu

Florida Main Street

AARP Releases DIY Walk Audit

An updated 'walk audit toolkit' lets you assess pedestrian safety in your neighborhood and advocate for improvements.

February 17 - Streetsblog California

A subdivision of large suburban homes, some with bright blue pools, sits atop a low hill in Hays County, Texas.

Pressing Pause on Development in the Shadow of Austin's Growth

The Dripping Springs City Council points to inadequate wastewater infrastructure and the need to update its comprehensive plan as reasons for the city's development moratorium.

February 17 - Community Impact Newspaper

Solar panels are lined up on agricultural land.

Legislation Would Limit Solar Power Installation on Agricultural Land in Iowa

If SF 2171 wins approval in the Iowa State Legislature, solar will have a limited number of options for installation on agricultural land.

February 17 - Iowa Public Radio

San Francisco, California

Beleaguered San Francisco Bus Project To Open April 1

San Francisco's much-delayed Van Ness BRT line, expected to speed up travel along the 'grandest boulevard,' has finally received an opening date.

February 17 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Mail delivery trucks in the parking lot at the United States Postal Service (USPS) main post office and distribution facility at 715 NW Hoyt Street in Portland, Oregon.

USPS Says It Needs More Money To Electrify Fleet

The agency claims the federal government isn't providing enough funding to switch more of its delivery trucks to electric vehicles.

February 17 - Gizmodo

A woman wears a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic in a large crowd at a transit station in New York City.

BLOG POST

Stimulus Funds Not Enough to Guarantee Transit's Future in D.C. and L.A.

In statements that echo the alarm of March 2020, transit officials in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. recently announced plans to reduce transit service.

February 17 - James Brasuell

Celebration Florida

Disney Plans New Residential Developments

Despite the less-than-magical results of its experiment in Celebration, Florida, Disney has announced plans to build a chain of master-planned communities around the country.

February 17 - The Verge

California

A Vacancy Tax for San Francisco? Voters Might Have a Say.

A San Francisco politician is pushing for a vacant home tax to appear on the November ballot.

February 16 - San Francisco Chronicle

Earthquake damage

Protecting Affordable Housing After Natural Disasters

Research shows that low-income communities suffer most and take the longest to recover from disasters, which can often wipe out affordable housing stock and displace vulnerable households.

February 16 - The Conversation

West 72nd Street

Study: Speed Camera Citations Correlate to Safe Infrastructure

New research suggests that fewer speeding tickets are issued in neighborhoods where the city has invested in traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements.

February 16 - Streetsblog New York City

Post News

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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.