The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Reading Viaduct

Philadelphia Awarded a Big Chunk of State Redevelopment Grants

About a fifth of a recent round of Pennsylvania's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) awards went to projects in Philadelphia, including the Reading Viaduct rail park project.

October 5 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Accessibility

Pushing for Universal Access in the New Urban Agenda

The New Urban Agenda, which sets a new global strategy for sustainable urbanization, still has shortcomings regarding universal access for people with special needs.

October 5 - Citiscope

Columbia Heights Metro Station

Modernizing the D.C. Metro for a Growing Midtown

The neighborhoods served by Washington D.C.'s Yellow Line have grown and it's time for the train to catch up.

October 5 - Greater Greater Washington

New York Bike Signage

An Economic Assessment of the Public Health Benefits of Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are considered a social intervention, and not directly medically related. But they are also proving to have an obviously positive effect on public health outcomes.

October 5 - Reuters via Fox News

Detroit Construction

Tearing Down Detroit to Build It Back Up

Detroit continues tear down empty housing in its farther afield neighborhoods, even as its downtown enjoys a spate of new construction.

October 5 - CNBC


Image of 20 Fenchurch Street, London

London Mayor Launches Study of Foreign Investment in Property

Sadiq Kahn Mayor of London starts investigation of foreign investment in the city's property, hoping to find solutions to the issue of London's sky high property prices.

October 5 - The Guardian

Main Street

Calling on the Federal Government to Legalize Main Street

On the heels of the Obama Administration's Housing Development Toolkit, Jonathan Coppange examines how federal policy has distorted the housing market.

October 5 - The Washington Post


Cincinnati Streetcar

Cincinnati Leadership Trades Barbs Over Streetcar Frequencies

The popularity of the new Cincinnati Streetcar—known officially as the Bell Connector—has been tempered by poor performance on contractually mandated 15-minute headways.

October 5 - Cincinnati Enquirer

Houston Texas

Are Texans Driving Less? Depends on Who You Ask

Local and regional transportation planners responded skeptically to data from the Texas Department of Transportation showing Texans driving less.

October 5 - Streetsblog Texas

New Orleans Doors

New Orleans Leverages New Federal Housing Rule as Gentrification Tool

New Orleans is among the first cities to respond to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Affirmatively Furthering Affordable Housing rule.

October 5 - The New Orleans Advocate

San Francisco

San Francisco's Mission Bay Provides a Case Study for Sea-Level Rise

The San Francisco Chronicle's John King continues his ongoing, in-depth coverage of sea-level rise and its potential impacts on local and regional concerns in the San Francisco Bay Area.

October 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Seatle Skyline

How 'Zoned Capacity' Skews the Debate About Housing

Zoned capacity is often as a statistic to support anti-development arguments. One write endeavors to thoroughly debunk the idea that Seattle has enough zoned capacity to meet its growing demand for housing.

October 4 - Sightline Institute

Construction Cranes

Funding Rolling in for Still-Uncertain Nicollet Ave Streetcar in Minneapolis

Several new developments are adding funds to the pot of money in a streetcar district created by Minneapolis to circumvent a politically unpalatable tax increment financing district.

October 4 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

$1 Billion Agrihood Approved Near Orlando, Florida

The agrihood development trend is gaining traction around the country. Orlando County commissioners approved the latest, large example.

October 4 - Orlando Business Journal

Elfreth's Alley

Against Parking Requirements and Driveways in Philadelphia

Recent suggestions from Philadelphia's City Council threaten the city's rebound and could turn swaths of Philadelphia into suburbia, argues Inga Saffron in a recent opinion piece.

October 4 - The Philadelphia Enquirer

Old houses with large porch and colorful siding

The Changing World of the Single Family Home

There is not one single kind of family, so there should not be one kind of "Single Family Home."

October 4 - Pacific Standard

New York

Bill Introduced to Relieve Congestion—on Sidewalks

New York City has come a long way since the Giuliani days, when sidewalk barriers were placed at intersections to facilitate turning vehicles, thus prohibiting pedestrians from crossing the street.

October 4 - amNew York

facebook

Facebook Campus Expansion Moving Forward in Menlo Park

A proposal to expand Facebook's footprint in the city of Menlo park gained key approval from the city's planning commission recently. The full City Council still needs to approve the plan.

October 4 - San Jose Mercury News

Turner Field

So Long, Atlanta Braves (Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out)

A columnist absolutely eviscerates the Atlanta Braves organization as it plays its final game in Turner Field in Atlanta. The team is departing the city for a new suburban stadium in Cobb County.

October 4 - Marketwatch

New Orleans Added Almost 2,00 Affordable Units in 2016

A report from HousingNOLA about efforts to create and preserve affordable housing in New Orleans finds reasons to celebrate and reasons to keep working on the challenge.

October 4 - The New Orleans Advocate

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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

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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.