The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
New York Law Eases Hotel Conversions
A state law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul loosens zoning restrictions to encourage the conversion of underutilized hotels into housing.
FEATURE
Twitter for Planners in 2022
Twitter is changing, not in the way Elon Musk wants it to, but it’s still perhaps the most useful social media platform for planners looking for education and engagement.
Seattle Prepares for Major Transit Disruptions
Sound Transit claims maintenance work is necessary to prepare for upcoming transit extensions, but critics question the need to make drastic service cuts.
Analysis: California’s Bumpy Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Implementation
California took the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and ran with it. Fully realizing the goals of the AFFH in California will require more work, according to a recent analysis.
Spokane To Implement Drought Response Ordinance
The city council voted to override a veto of the ordinance by the mayor, enacting new water conservation measures.
Californians Could Get a Tax Credit for Not Owning Cars
The bill’s sponsors say it’s only fair to extend tax relief to Californians who don’t own cars as the state aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease driving.
Declining Water Levels Trigger ‘Stage 1’ Drought Response in Austin
The effects of the megadrought in the American Southwest are reaching into Texas.
Getting Medicaid to Pay for Pest Control
For children who have asthma, pests like cockroaches and mice can trigger allergic reactions and lead to recurring and expensive hospital visits. Could insurers save money by investing in housing-based improvements like pest management services?
Restorative Housing Policy: Can We Heal the Wounds of Redlining and Urban Renewal?
Our fair housing laws enshrine an approach that prohibits us from explicitly referring to race, even in programs intended to undo the harm caused by racism. Now restorative housing policy is attempting to directly confront this history.
Major U.S. Metro Areas in a Transition Period, According to Census Analysis
The nation's growth slowed from 2010 and 2020, according to 2020 Census data, and demographers are still trying to figure out what population trends mean for the future of country's major metropolitan areas.
Federal Program To Award $450 Million to University Transportation Centers
The program will fund research on mobility, congestion, safety, and other crucial transportation issues.
How Bike Racks Are Weaponized To Displace Unhoused People
In Portland, a set of mysteriously installed bike racks is prompting questions about their true purpose.
Short-Term Rental Regulations Up for Debate in Dallas
The Dallas city council is evaluating three proposals that would impose new regulations on short-term rentals in the city’s residential neighborhoods.
BLOG POST
Funding Urban Climate Justice
The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund stands out as an example of local grassroots climate action—in this case, the kind of action that makes other climate projects and programs possible.
The Housing Crisis in America’s Mobile Home Parks
With demand surging and rent costs rising sharply, mobile home parks are becoming unaffordable for their most vulnerable residents.
The Success Story of Alexandria’s Free Buses
Thanks to state and regional funding, the city eliminated fares while making service improvements.
Depave Paradise: Reclaiming Parking Lots for Park Space
The promoters of a new park hope to provide a model for how replacing surface parking lots with green space can mitigate urban heat and boost urban biodiversity.
Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible
With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
Oregon to Reform Parking Requirements in 52 Cities
Oregon, the first state to end single-family zoning statewide, is on the cusp of another historic planning reform as the Land Conservation and Development Commission nears approval for new “Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities” rules.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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.
