The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Reexamining the Origins of Zoning
According to Seymour Toll's 1969 book, New York City's 1916 zoning code was less a civic-minded project than an attempt to protect elite retail districts from the riff-raff. The ramifications for American zoning at large are significant.
Toward Inclusive Redevelopment: When in Doubt, Bring People Together
It's hard to get urban redevelopment right. Headlines are dominated by rising costs, gentrification concerns, and not-in-my-backyard blockading. Let's talk about a way to work toward more inclusive redevelopment.
Minnesota High-Speed Rail Passes Preliminary Test
The North American High Speed Rail Group has proposed an elevated, $4.2 billion, 150+ mph high-speed rail line above existing highways without public subsidy between Rochester and the Twin Cities. Completion is estimated for 2021.
Counting the Indicators of a Deflating California Real Estate Bubble
Canceled projects, price discounts, and increased incentives to buyers are already showing up in real estate developments in key U.S. regions, writes estate and affordable housing adviser Michael P. Russell. He reviews some key indicators.
Philadelphia Discovers the Difficulties of Restoring a Wood-Paved Street
A failed 2012 restoration of South Camac, meant to last five years, only made it until 2015. Now it will have to wait until 2017 to see the historic street paved in wood again.
The Park-and-Ride Boondoggle
Streetsblog USA shares insights into a new study published by the Transportation Research Board finding that most park-and-ride facilities built by transit agencies waste money and land.
Crowded NYC Sidewalks Force Commuters Into the Street
In the 1970s, the fear of getting mugged had some NYC pedestrians walking in the street. Nowadays, commuters are sharing space with cars for a very different reason: the sidewalks are too crowded.
The Real Reasons Affordable Housing Isn't Being Built in California
The policy tools used to address our nation's housing shortfall often seem to worsen the problem. But this is because they ignore the underlying infrastructure and financing to support growth.
Criticism Over Special Parking Arrangements for New Atlanta Braves Stadium
Cobb County, Georgia recently approved the "Accessory Special Event Parking" ordinance to limit parking operations around the Atlanta Braves' new stadium.
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#TeslaCrash: Three Reasons for Tesla (and All of Us) to Be Concerned
Tesla has just disclosed the first fatal crash of a driver using its "Autopilot" system. Tesla should be concerned about the question of who's liable, and we should all be concerned about the wider consequences of this tragic event.
2015 Road Toll: 35,200 Fatalities
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released preliminary fatality estimates for 2015. Deaths jumped by 2,525, an increase of 7.7 percent over 2014. Pedestrians and bicyclists saw the biggest increases.
California Initiative to Limit the Size of Revenue Bonds Qualifies for Ballot
A California initiative has been likened to the landmark Proposition 13 for how it would affect the budget and major projects proposed in California, including the $64 billion high-speed rail project and $17 billion Delta water tunnels.
SEPTA Forced to Take 120 Regional Trains Out of Service for Repairs
SEPTA commuters traveling to and from Delaware will spend the summer in transit gridlock, as 120 trains undergo necessary repairs to a serious structural flaw.
Zoning as a Tool of Social and Economic Inequality
The New York Times devotes significant ink to an argument against the use of zoning laws as tools of anti-growth politics.
The Disconnect Over Displacement in Los Angeles
A mixed-use development proposal in South L.A. highlights a blind spot of progressive urbanism—the gap between what checks all the boxes and what low-income communities really need.
New Data on the Shift to Cities
It's no secret that urban centers are doing better today than they were 30 years ago. New FHFA data on housing prices confirms the trend and suggests that a changing environment (as opposed to changing preferences) account for it.
The Unintended Consequences Lurking in Gov. Brown's Affordable Housing Proposal
California Governor Brown's proposal to streamline affordable housing may cause more problems than it solves, both for affordable housing and community planning, argues Murtaza Baxamusa who teaches planning at USC and develops affordable housing.
The Vision for a $120 Billion Public Transportation Revolution in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Metro's new Chief of Planning Therese McMillan joins the agency at a pivotal moment, as county voters will decide in November whether to approve a new, evergreen sales tax to fund future Metro public transportation expansion.
Rio Scrambles to Ready Subway Before Olympics
Beset by delays and financial problems, the state of Rio is having trouble completing a new subway line before the Olympics start a month from now. The time crunch may cut into time for testing, presaging problems in August.
Barcelona Facing New Housing Problems, and Airbnb
Barcelona is facing increasing pressure on its housing market, primarily in rental prices. The Mediterranean city, which last year became the third most popular European destination after Paris and London, is facing a new housing crisis.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State 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.
