The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Illinois Legislature to Consider Affordable Housing Tax Credit
A proposed tax credit could create thousands of new affordable housing units per year, its proponents say.
St. Louis Train Expansion Planning Receives Federal Funding
The Bi-State Development Agency received roughly $7.4 million for efforts to expand the city’s MetroLink train system.
Houston Mayor Rebukes Housing Authority on Tax Break Deals
The mayor sternly denounced the city’s housing authority for going forward with tax break deals that critics say don’t bring enough new affordable housing to the city and reduce tax revenue for local schools and utilities.
‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.
BLOG POST
The Pseudoscientific Foundations of Racist Planning Practices
Racist and colonialist narratives in old geography textbooks help explain the prevalence of segregationist and discriminatory policies and other nasty planning practices. It’s time to understand and reconcile.
Report Calls for ‘Sustained and Significant’ Investments in Affordable Housing
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual report highlights the shortage of affordable and available housing units for low-income households.
FTA Announces Disaster Relief Funding for Transit
A $212 million program is aimed at helping transit agencies and cities affected by flooding, hurricanes, fires, and other disasters maintain transit operations and boost the resilience of their systems.
BLOG POST
Sprawl and Democracy
One common defense of pro-sprawl government policies is that government reflects the will of the people. But is this really true?
Opinion: How California’s Environmental Law Empowers NIMBYs
Critics of a new provision calling “social noise” an environmental impact say the law can too easily be co-opted by anti-housing groups to block new development.
Colorado Governor Wants to Preempt Local Zoning Control
Colorado could be the latest state, following Oregon and California, to legislate statewide preemption of local zoning codes to allow for more housing development.
PLANOPEDIA
What Is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?
Federal housing assistance vouchers subsidize the cost of rental housing, but high demand and long waiting lists mean many low-income families wait for years to access affordable housing.
The Cost of Driving Increasingly Out of Reach in the U.S.
New research stresses the importance of socioeconomic differences in U.S. transportation trends.
Florida Law Would Change the Definition of ‘Sprawl’
One quick way to build sprawl.
Rent Increases Highest for Lowest-Income Households
Renters at the lower end of the spectrum see no relief in sight as rent hikes remain stubbornly high.
A Dallas Architect Designs Statement Buildings With a Purpose
The Dallas Morning News’ architecture critic profiles one of the city’s most important current architects.
Biden Designates a New National Monument in West Texas
The Castner Range National Monument in West Texas is the second of two new national monuments announced by President Joe Biden this week.
Study: Autonomous Cars Won’t Solve the Parking Problem
In hyper-dense cities where incentives to reduce car use and eliminate parking are already high, mass adoption of AVs won’t significantly reduce parking demand.
Proposed Pool Would Make an Olympic-Sized Play Area in the San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay is usually an undesirable place to swim, except for a hearty few. A development proposal seeking assistance at the state level would add a pool to the Bay’s waters to make the idea of going for a swim more appealing.
Chicagoland Transit Agencies Call for State Funding as Budget Shortfall Looms
Illinois transit agencies want to see changes to a law requiring them to collect half of their revenue from transit fares, arguing that low ridership and staffing shortages will lead to a massive budget gap without intervention.
Panel: Minneapolis Zoning Updates Should Reflect Mixed-Use Future
A discussion of post-pandemic changes in work and commuting concluded that the city’s overhaul of its zoning code should be less restrictive with land uses.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.
