The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Hillside home construction in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Analysis: California’s Single-Family Zoning ‘Killer’ Barely Making a Dent So Far

Senate Bill 9, approved by the California State Legislature to much fanfare in 2021, has had little impact on the way local governments do development business, according to a recent analysis by researchers at the University of California.

January 22 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Close-up of signs being held up at climate change protest

Survey: Mayors Concerned About Direct Impacts of Climate Change

Almost all U.S. mayors have some level of concern about climate change in their communities, but local leaders face some challenges in taking action.

January 22 - Smart Cities Dive

SEPTA bus stopped in front of Independence Hall, Phialdelphia, Pennsylvania

Digging Into SEPTA’s Problems

Philadelphia’s transit agency faces some structural challenges as it struggles to reorganize its services and bring back ridership.

January 22 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Green Monopoly houses on game board

Wave of Household Growth Likely Cresting, Relieving Crowded Housing Markets

A recent series of data on the growth of households in the United States reveals the unprecedented scale of housing demand in recent years.

January 22 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Aerial view of Bend, Oregon with river and old mill district

Bend Eliminates Parking Minimums

The city is complying with an Oregon state mandate that some cities have challenged in court.

January 20 - KTVZ


Blurred view from ground level of yellow center lines on asphalt street

How Design Guidelines Can Reduce Road Safety

Signs and markings designed for traffic control can make conditions less safe for pedestrians and other road users.

January 20 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of I-10 junction over swamp near New Orleans, Louisiana

$50 Billion Coastal Master Plan Updated in Louisiana

Louisiana is losing coastal lands, quickly, along with the habitat and economic resources located there. A Coastal Master Plan plots $50 billion in spending to protect the coast.

January 20 - NOLA.com


Google street view of New York City intersection with construction fence

Harlem Apartment Project Nixed in Favor of Truck Depot

After a proposal for a mixed-use development failed to gain support from a local city councilmember, the developer turned the site into a truck storage depot, prompting concerns over air quality and health impacts.

January 20 - The New York Times

View of Los Angeles River at Glendale Narrows segment with tree and overpass

Downpours Yield 33 Billion Gallons of Captured Stormwater in L.A. County

County officials hope reclamation efforts will help the region reduce its dependence on imported water supplies.

January 19 - ABC7

Rendering of Midtown Connector freeway cap park in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Receives $3.2 Million for Freeway Cap Plan

The federal funding will help move forward planning for an ambitious proposal to cap a downtown Atlanta freeway with a 25-acre park.

January 19 - Urbanize Atlanta

Concrete building wth Department of Housing and Urban Development sign

HUD Plans to Revive Fair Housing Rule

The department is proposing an updated version of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which requires local governments to take action to end residential segregation.

January 19 - CNN

Aerial view at dusk of downtown Austin, Texas with river in foreground

Austin’s Changing Skyline

Multiple proposed skyscrapers are changing the shape of once low-slung downtown Austin, signaling the growth of the city as a technology and manufacturing hub.

January 19 - Bloomberg CityLab

Single-story wooden home with weathered paint and "I want to be better" sign

Indianapolis Launches ‘Vacant to Vibrant’ Housing Initiative

The program directs federal funding to the redevelopment of vacant properties as part of the city’s efforts to create more affordable housing units.

January 19 - WFYI

Serial view of elevated freeway interchanges with downtown Houston in background

Details for Houston Interstate Project Remain Hazy

With the project still under federal investigation, local and state agencies say they are moving forward with the development of design details for the contentious freeway redesign.

January 19 - Houston Chronicle

Aerial view of Decatur, Georgia with cloudy sky

Decatur Moves Closer to Legalizing Duplexes, ‘Missing Middle Housing’

A proposal to permit multifamily housing units in areas previously zoned for single-family homes passed its first hurdle, but requires a second vote to go into effect.

January 19 - Decaturish

Pedestrians and Cars

New York Speed Limiting Pilot Shows Promising Results

City vehicles equipped with speed limiting technology showed nearly complete compliance with speed limit laws and a significant reduction in hard-braking events.

January 19 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of lit burner on gas stove with blue flames

Why the Gas Stove Debate Misses the Point

Banning gas-powered appliances is one part of a broader toolkit of changes in building codes that could vastly improve efficiency.

January 18 - Route Fifty

Orange snowplow clearing snow on Colorado road

Colorado DOT Invests in Workforce Housing

With the agency struggling to fill positions and housing costs rising across the state, the Colorado Department of Transportation is taking matters into its own hands.

January 18 - Route Fifty

A conceptual rendering of a revamped train station in a historic corner of Salt Lake City.

A Citizen-Led Plan Would Revamp Salt Lake’s Transit and Freeway Mix

The Rio Grande Plan would restore rail service to the Rio Grande Depot and reconnect a community divided by a freeway in Salt Lake City.

January 18 - Salt Lake City Weekly

Sunset view over canal and downtown Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb

The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.

January 18 - The Washington Post

Post News
Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.

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.