The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Several office towers are under construction next to a freeway in Burlingame, California.

Union Shakeup Could Have Implications for California Housing Policy

One of the most powerful opponents to California’s YIMBY legislators, the Trades union of building and construction workers, is under new leadership. Some observers speculate that the change could indicate a new era of development politics.

July 19 - Politico

View of traffic on freeway with Los Angeles skyline and palm trees in background

California On Schedule to Launch Second Road Charge Pilot Program

The California Transportation Commission met the initial deadline specified in 2021 state legislation requiring the state to perform a fully operational pilot program where participants will pay for the miles they drive.

July 19 - California Transportation Commission

Tent covered with tarp with bike and other objects on sidewalk in Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles

New Study Debunks Homeless Migration Theory

More evidence finds that the root cause of homelessness is, ultimately, a lack of sufficient housing.

July 19 - The Atlantic

Vacant lot with overgrown concrete foundation

The Double-Edged Sword of ‘Healthfields’

Building hospitals and other health-oriented facilities on former brownfield sites can benefit the community, but can also perpetuate historic inequities and exploit undervalued land at the expense of local residents.

July 19 - Next City

Bike Parking

PLANOPEDIA

What Is Transportation Demand Management?

When a government creates incentives or disincentives to influence how and when you travel—that's transportation demand management.

July 19 - James Brasuell


Hydrogen-powered zero-emissions public bus

Champaign-Urbana Awarded Grant to Electrify Bus Fleet

Funding from the Low or No Emission Vehicle federal program will help the city replace its buses with new electric and other zero- or low-emission vehicles.

July 19 - WAND

Arizona Streetscape

Institutional Investors Gaining a Larger Footprint in the Housing Market, Report Says

The locations with the fastest growing populations are seeing the most dramatic increase in investor-owned single-family housing rentals.

July 19 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University


Intersection on Manhattan street with yellow cabs and black cars waiting for stoplight.

BLOG POST

The Urbanist Case Against Congestion Pricing

And why it is wrong.

July 18 - Michael Lewyn

Silicon Valley

New Plans for Palo Alto: Updated Zoning and 6,000 Housing Units

The city of Palo Alto, a city central to the geographic and economic might of Silicon Valley, is planning a significant overhaul to its plans for the future, making space for over 6,000 new housing units in the next eight years.

July 18 - Palo Alto Weekly

Red and silver Muni trolley bus connected to overhead wires on San Francisco street

Report: Trolley Buses Best Zero-Emissions Option for San Francisco

To decarbonize its bus system, a new study recommends adding more substantial battery packs to the city’s historic—and all-electric—trolley bus fleet rather than replacing trolley buses with electric buses that require lengthy charging periods.

July 18 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Close-up of yellow dandelion flower poking through crack in broken concrete

How to ID Urban Wildflowers

Ever wonder what those flowers growing through a crack in the sidewalk are? This guide from Streetsblog has you covered.

July 18 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

Graphic of gray Oklahoma City rapid bus against photo of Oklahoma City skyline

Oklahoma City Solicits Public Input on New BRT Lines

City officials presented preliminary plans for new bus routes aimed at connecting neighborhoods previously underserved by transit.

July 18 - The Oklahoman

Vacant run-down houses in Gary, Indiana

Commentary: Place-Based Policy Must Target Chronically Poor Areas

As more evidence shows that neighborhood-level factors heavily impact future outcomes, place-based policies should use more accurate measurements to ensure persistently poor places don’t fall through the cracks.

July 18 - Route Fifty

Two-story houses on tree-lined street in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond Poised to Make ADUs By-Right

A new ordinance would reduce costs and delays for building or converting accessory dwelling units in single-family neighborhoods.

July 18 - Greater Greater Washington

View of large HOLLAND TUNNEL sign tollbooths with blurred red taillights in foreground

Report Proposes $15 Peak Hour, $3 Off-Peak Toll for New York Congestion Pricing Plan

As New York City’s congestion pricing program gets closer to implementation, a proposed pricing scheme would charge $15 at peak traffic hours.

July 18 - StreetsBlog NYC

The historic San Diego City and County Administration Building in Southern California.

San Diego Camping Ban Set to Take Effect, but Details Remain Murky

The city plans to crack down on unhoused people camping on city property, but has yet to identify parks and school zones targeted for enforcement under the new ordinance.

July 17 - Voice of San Diego

Rendering of Brightline West high-speed train with southwest desert mountains in background

Las Vegas-to-L.A. High-Speed Rail Project Passes Another Hurdle

The segment between Rancho Cucamonga and the high desert town of Victorville received a key approval, with groundbreaking scheduled for later this year.

July 17 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Zoning map of New Hampshire

National Zoning Atlas Makes Headway

The project aims to bring zoning data from around the country into one database, making it easier for planners and researchers to compare policies and their impacts.

July 17 - PD&R Edge

Greyhound bus at Philadelphia bus station

Shuttered Bus Terminals Cause Problems for Riders, Cities

The closure of intercity bus stations is putting passengers out on the curb.

July 17 - Governing

Blackfoot memorial statue in Glacier National Park of Native American sitting on horse

BLOG POST

Public Lands in the United States, Part Two: The Conservation Turn and ‘America’s Best Idea’

As Western expansion reached its geographic terminus, the U.S. government began tightening rules around land use and designating protected areas such as national parks and wilderness areas, often displacing local Native Americans in favor of a Wester

July 17 - Diana Ionescu

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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.