The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

How Regional Planning Can Be Antiracist
Under new board president Rex Richardson, the Southern California Association of Governments—the country's largest MPO—has pledged to combat racism through regional planning, including equitable housing development.

Interior Architects and Designers Decide the Fate of the Traditional Office Space
Coronavirus-mitigating design interventions make their debut indoors as interior architects and designers ponder the possibilities for traditional office spaces.

Neighborhood Homes Investment Act Picks Up Momentum
A proposed tax credit designed to stabilize single-family neighborhoods facing growing numbers of vacancies is making its way through Congress.

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The Media Can't Stop Talking About the End of Cities
The latest installment of Planetizen's ongoing effort to track the stories about the future of planning in a world forever changed by COVID-19 notices a recurring theme.

Zoning Reforms Underwhelm in Minneapolis as Development Market Holds Course
As one of the first city's to comprehensively allow for residential density, Minneapolis was probably hoping for more than what it's achieved so far.

Costs, Delays Ballon on Hudson River Tunnel Project
Developers are baling the latest delays and cost increases for the Hudson Tunnel Project on uncertainty surrounding federal environmental review.

Parking on Sidewalks Could Be Prohibited Throughout the U.K.
The United Kingdom could preempt local laws that allow drivers to park cars on sidewalks. The policy would provide clearer paths for people with disabilities and people choosing active transportation modes.

East Link Light Rail Plans Provoke Controversy in Seattle Suburb
A proposal to link local and regional buses with the East Link light rail expansion in Mercer Island, already under construction, threatens to boil over into the courtroom.

Coronavirus Wastewater Testing Yields Positive Results at Universities
Wastewater testing is being hailed as a success at the University of Arizona, credited for stopping a COVID outbreak. In Utah, wastewater analysis forced almost 300 students to quarantine for four days while awaiting their test results.

Portland Transit Station to Get Multi-Modal Mixed-Use Overhaul
The regional transit agency for Portland, Oregon is working on a development plan that would drastically multiple the planning considerations at a local transit station.

Another Defeat for Statewide Zoning Reform in California
Another year, another defeat for sweeping changes to the status quo of single-family zoning in the state of California. SB 1120 would have allowed duplexes in areas previously zoned for detached single family zoning.

Eviction is Not the Answer
The Eviction Lab at Princeton University is using data to tell the story of thousands of tenant evictions. Matthew Desmond, the Lab's director, shares stories of tenants and insights about the compounding danger of mass evictions and COVID-19.

Micro-Units Considered as Affordable Housing Option
Long Beach, California is the latest city to consider small residential units, 350 square feet and smaller, as one way to combat the rising cost of housing.

Gas Tax to Climb More Than 9 Cents a Gallon in New Jersey
A 2016 law that locked in a specific amount of gas tax revenue for project funding every year has required a boost in the tax rate in New Jersey as drivers leave their car at home during the pandemic.

A Development Bonanza in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the real estate interests with designs on remaking the Penn's Landing site on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. But the team's vision for the waterfront reaches far beyond a single parcel.

The Outdated Models That Continue to Guide Transportation Planning
Transportation demand models offer predictions that are used to make important decisions, but their accuracy is questionable. The real issue, however, might be about the goals of planning and how urban life and livability are quantified.

'The City' Documents Formative Planning Advocacy on Film
Streaming on YouTube, the 1939 film "The City" is a powerful cinematic account of advocating for planned communities.

Wildfire Smoke Affecting Communities Across the Country
Wildfires in California and Colorado are spewing out smoke that is traveling to other parts of the country. The health effects of the dirty air are substantial, and they could last long after the fires are out.

Cincinnati Program Helps Renters With Security Deposits
For low-income renters, security deposits can be a hurdle they cannot overcome. Cincinnati's “renters’ choice” program aims to help with that challenge by providing alternatives to traditional security deposits.

Addressing Equity by Strategically Planting Millions of Trees
As part of the Trillion Trees Initiative, cities across the country are pledging to plant trees and restore urban forests to fight climate change and cool off disadvantaged communities.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul 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.