The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Boats in the street in Ft. Myers, Florida after Hurricane Ian storm surge

Hurricane Ian: When to Evacuate?

The New York Times reported on September 30, two days after landfall, that the order to evacuate from Lee County, where more than half of all Florida deaths due to Hurricane Ian occurred, came later than the county's emergency plan required.

October 5 - The New York Times

Cashless fare validator on bus with blue seat upholstery

Study: In Lieu of Free Fares, Transit Needs a Cash Option

Many of the riders who rely on public transit the most are also least likely to be able to use cashless fare systems.

October 5 - Newswise

Woonerf street with no curbs and trees in Lodz, Poland

PLANOPEDIA

What Is a Woonerf?

The woonerf, a type of road design that encourages multimodal transportation and blends pedestrian and vehicle space, was born as a reaction to the car-centric development that began dominating American and European city planning in the mid-twentieth century.

October 5 - Diana Ionescu

People waiting at a Chicago bus stop

Electric ‘Jitneys’ Seek to Close Last-Mile Gaps

Two companies focusing on hyper-local trips want to bring more transit and services within reach of Chicago’s underserved Black neighborhoods.

October 5 - NextCity

Flooded street with historic home in Charleston, South Carolina

As Development in Flood-Prone Areas Continues, Cities Are Slow to Respond

Drawn by affordable property, low taxes, and job opportunities, high numbers of Americans continue to move to flood-prone areas even as the threat of catastrophic flooding grows.

October 5 - The Washington Post


ROw of historic New York City brownstone homes

Manhattan Home Sales Slow, Rent Growth Continues

The Manhattan housing market is seeing lower sale prices and a slowdown in demand, but rents in the city are still going up.

October 5 - Bloomberg

A crosswalk activation button is shown in the foreground with two pedestrians show blurred while crossing the street in the background.

Jaywalking Decriminalized in California

Another day, another historic planning-related bill signed into law in the Golden State.

October 4 - Los Angeles Times


Aerial view of Walla Walla, Washington

Smart Growth Plan Hopes to Rein in Sprawl in Walla Walla

The Washington city reformed its zoning code to support more multifamily development and a diversity of housing types to meet the needs of its growing population.

October 4 - Planning Magazine

Man with leather messenger bag riding CitiBike bike on New York street

The Resilience of Bikeshare

The inherent simplicity of bikes makes shared mobility systems a crucial transportation option during natural disasters.

October 4 - Bloomberg CityLab

A map of the northwest corner of Oregon, focusing on the city of Hillsboro.

Cities Plan to Sue Over Oregon’s Parking Reforms

Nine of the 52 cities impacted by the state of Oregon’s parking requirements changes, approved earlier this year, plan to sue to stop the reforms.

October 4 - The Oregonian

Quarry House nestled among trees in Park City, Utah

Winners of the 2022 American Society of Landscape Architects

The Society’s annual awards highlight projects focused on reconnecting communities to the landscape and creating healthy community spaces.

October 4 - American Society Of Landscape Architects

Woman in wheelchair working at a home office desk

How Remote Work is Changing the Playing Field for Workers With Disabilities

The more widespread acceptance of working from home is helping millions of Americans with disabilities get back into the workforce and find better job opportunities.

October 4 - Bloomberg

Aerial view of East Boston shoreline

Study To Assess Climate Mitigation Options for East Boston

A grant-funded research team will evaluate solutions for shoring up the area’s flood protection strategies and improving access and service on the Blue Line for local residents.

October 4 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

People post for photos in front of a colorful mural in the evening.

FEATURE

Placemaking: Building on the ‘Soul’ of a Place

Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.

October 4 - Brian Chambers

California Public Trnsit

Affordable Housing Now Legal By-Right on Commercial Lots in California

One of the nation's most ambitious and sweeping statewide laws intended to spur affordable housing development was signed into law in California at the end of September.

October 3 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles sprawl

The Inflation Reduction Act Missed a Chance to Rein in Car-Dependent Sprawl

The federal government is so far unwilling to reverse course on car-dependent sprawl. The Inflation Reduction Act is the latest example.

October 3 - Metropolis

Nighttime shot of decorative fountain with horses and Country Club Plaza tower in background

FEATURE

Three Planning Innovations, a Century Later

Three events turning 100 this year have had a long-lasting impact on the shape of American urban design and land use.

October 3 - Diana Ionescu

 The Young Apartments — 1621 South Grand Avenue, at the southern end of Downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Tenant Harassment Law Yields No Prosecutions

A year after the law was passed, the city has failed to prosecute any of the more than 2,000 complaints filed by tenants.

October 3 - L.A. Taco

Lake Mead 'bathtub ring'

Colorado River Water Crisis Deepens

The states that rely on the Colorado’s water must make drastic cuts in water usage to maintain use of the West’s most important—and most threatened—water source.

October 3 - NPR

Rendering of hydrogen storage tank with solar panels in background

Two New Clean Energy Programs Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Unveiled

The U.S. Department of Energy announced two new programs last month that are funded by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $7 billion to create regional ‘hydrogen hubs’ and $4.9 billion to ‘manage and store carbon pollution.’

October 3 - U.S. Department of Energy

Post News

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.