The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Teal Detroit public bus

Michigan Transit Systems Awarded Federal Grants for Clean Vehicles

Federal grants are helping to ease the transition to electric and hybrid buses.

July 10 - Michigan Public Radio

Bird's eye view of water treatment plant next to water body.

Climate Change Putting Coastal Infrastructure at Risk

More than 1,000 coastal facilities could flood as often as once a month as sea levels rise, according to a study from the Union of Concerned Scientists.

July 10 - WUWF

Close-up of white 20 kph speed limit sign in Europe with cartoon turtle and '20 is plenty' sticker underneath.

EU Speed Limiter Law Kicks In

All new cars sold in Europe and Northern Ireland will include speed limiting tech, among other new safety features.

July 10 - The Guardian

Vacant retail storefront with multiple glass doors lined with brown paper and a removed neon sign.

How to Repurpose Vacant Storefronts

Loosening restrictions on clean light manufacturing can revive dormant storefronts and revitalize communities.

July 10 - Governing

Homeless encampments on the Venice Beach Ocean Front Walk.

Busting Myths About Homelessness

Challenging common misconceptions about unhoused Californians with data.

July 9 - CALmatters


Real estate agent wearing jeans and sport coat planting For Sale sign on front lawn of home.

Just 15 Percent of U.S. Renters Could Afford Homeownership

In some markets, as few as 2.6 percent of renter households could afford the cost of an average home.

July 9 - Fast Company

California Aqueduct channel in flat farmland area.

California’s 2024 Drinking Water Needs Assessment Reveals Critical Issues in Public Water Systems

The assessment identifies 385 failing public water systems and highlights significant funding gaps and affordability challenges in ensuring safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities.

July 9 - WaterWorld


Aerial view of freeways and downtown Houston skyline

Houston Residents Respond to Mobility Questions

What could the city look like if budget and bureaucracy were no object?

July 9 - Houston Public Media

Boston city skyline

Boston’s Fair Housing Policy Shows Promise

The city was the first to tie fair housing requirements to zoning reform.

July 9 - Smart Cities Dive

View of three-lane Roosevelt Boulevard with green Roosevelt Expressway road sign in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia’s Speed Cameras Are Working

Speeding violations plummeted after automated enforcement cameras were installed along Roosevelt Boulevard.

July 9 - Next City

Brick three-story building with restaurant patio umbrellas outside ground floor in Little Italy neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio.

BLOG POST

The Impact of Local Entrepreneurship on Neighborhood Revitalization

Explore how local entrepreneurship boosts neighborhood revitalization, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing community bonds. Learn about the supportive role urban planners play in fostering sustainable business ecosystems.

July 9 - Devin Partida

Cars on a New York City street

NYC Traffic Moving At Under 7 MPH, Congestion Pricing Remains Suspended

Congestion is making driving in the city slower than ever.

July 9 - StreetsBlog NYC

White and blue TriMet MAX light rail train on street in Portland, Oregon.

Portland Train Speed Limited by Extreme Heat

When temperatures hit 100 degrees, the city’s two train systems face challenges that force them to slow their speeds or stop operations altogether.

July 8 - KGW

A orange-and-blue tent set up next to a tree in a paved courtyard and a cardboard box of posessions next to the tent entrance.

FEATURE

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Camping Bans, but Challenges of Addressing Homelessness Remain

In Grants Pass v. Johnson, the Supreme Court upheld an Oregon city’s ban on camping in public places, paving the way for similar bans in cities across the country but doing nothing to solve the cause of homelessness.

July 8 - Brian J. Connolly

View of trees and pond at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles, California.

From Academia to Action: An Indigenous Reforestation Effort in Los Angeles

Ary Amaya, a UCLA graduate student, leads an Indigenous-led reforestation effort in Los Angeles, integrating cultural practices and ecological restoration across 27 acres to promote Indigenous sovereignty and sustainable land management.

July 8 - UCLA Newsroom

Green oil well in California neighborhood.

California's Struggle to End Neighborhood Oil Drilling Faces Fierce Industry Opposition

Assembly Bill 1866 aims to address the health hazards caused by idle oil wells in low-income communities by enforcing stricter regulations on oil companies to accelerate well cleanup, despite significant opposition from the oil industry.

July 8 - Inside Climate News

7 Bus Chicago CTA

Chicago Transit Ridership Continues to Grow

The city’s three regional agencies are seeing ridership reaching 64 percent of 2019 levels.

July 8 - Mass Transit

White water tower with KYLE text against blue sky with white clouds.

Austin Suburb Launches Walkability Study

Kyle, Texas is developing a Sidewalks Master Plan to improve walking facilities.

July 8 - Hoodline

Honolulu public bus.

Youth Activists Secure Landmark Climate Agreement for Zero Emissions in Hawaii

The unprecedented climate settlement compels the state's transportation department to achieve zero emissions by 2045, marking a significant victory for climate justice and constitutional rights.

July 8 - The Guardian

Garrison Dam in North Dakota.

North Dakota Tribe Reclaims Agricultural Heritage with Massive Greenhouse Project

The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in North Dakota is launching a massive greenhouse project to regain their agricultural heritage and achieve food sovereignty.

July 8 - Associated Press

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

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

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.