The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Recent Retail Closures in U.S. Cities Follow Trends Established Before the Pandemic
While some cling to debatable claims about higher crime rates as the cause for recent high-profile store closures in U.S. downtowns, the real reasons are more realistically extensions of the causes of the “retail apocalypse” from the before times.
Insights From a New Survey of Asians in the U.S.
The Pew Research Center has just released the results of a new poll of Asians in America, the country's fastest growing racial and ethnic group in recent years.
Where Permissive Zoning Codes Slowed Rent Growth
Recent analysis from the Pew Research Center identifies more support for zoning reform as a tool for maintaining the affordability of rental housing in U.S. cities.
Assessing Transit Spending in Minnesota’s Proposed Transportation Bills
Two bills that will decide the fate of transportation funding in Minnesota contain historic investments in transit service and safety.
Toronto Approves Multiplex Housing Citywide
The city hopes streamlining the construction of multifamily housing will slow the growth of housing costs and prevent the displacement of residents as the city grows.
Court Rules Against Nashville Sidewalk Ordinance
The city can no longer require developers to pay for or build sidewalks.
Complicating the Free Transit Vs. Service Debate
Pitting Washington, D.C.’s K Street Transitway against free transit oversimplifies a more complex issue.
Two New Affordable Housing Communities Open in Seattle
The opening of Blake House marks the city’s first high-rise affordable housing project in half a century.
Opinion: California Transit Systems Need State Support
California provides far less in state funding to public transit agencies than other states. Transit advocates say this must change to improve transit service, bring back ridership, and reduce air pollution from the transportation sector.
FEATURE
How Can Urban Planning Address the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’?
The U.S. Surgeon General is sounding the alarm about the health effects of isolation. Planners have a role to play in rebuilding our “social infrastructure.”
Continuing the Fight for Housing in New York State
After the governor’s ambitious housing proposal failed to make headway in the state legislature, one lawyer argues Hochul should use executive power to move the needle forward on housing production.
Save the Clocktower! Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chair Sara Bronin Joins The Planning Commission Podcast
Sara Bronin was recently appointed by President Biden to chair the ACHP. In this episode she takes us back to the future on what historic preservation means to American cities and what planners can do to balance preservation with contemporary needs.
Sioux Falls To Update Bike and Pedestrian Plans
The South Dakota city wants to encourage more biking and develop a comprehensive bike trail network.
Opinion: The Slippery Slope of Privatizing Public Works
The Biden administration is changing course on a century of policy in public works ownership and management, signaling a concerning shift toward privately owned, profit-driven utilities and other essential services.
Is it Time to Revise D.C.’s Height Act?
The century-old rule has shaped the District’s iconic horizontal skyline, but some Council members say it need revision in light of the region’s growing housing crisis.
‘Super Commuting’ Hits Ten-Year Low
The number of Americans whose commutes take over three hours per day peaked in 2019, but dropped dramatically as remote work became more widespread.
How to Make Office Conversions Easier
To encourage more housing production, lawmakers could help make the costly and time-consuming adaptive reuse process easier and more cost-effective.
Mitigating the Environmental Footprint of Sprawl
There is still time to reverse the environmental outcomes of American suburbs. Researchers in Los Angeles, considered by many to be the poster child for U.S. sprawl, have been at work on the problem for years.
Landmark Land Use Bill Fails in Colorado Legislature
Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s effort to allow for more housing construction by preempting local control of zoning failed to achieve the required level of political support in the state legislature.
FEATURE
Most Influential Urbanists: Call for Nominees
Change doesn’t happen accidentally. Who are the people shaping cities and communities through the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond?
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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.
