The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
NYC will create new tax for $1M+ cash home purchases, report says
The new tax, to be detailed in the upcoming budget, comes on the heels of a new "pied-à-terre" tax in the state and city's effort to increase revenue from real estate.
Community land trusts could be the secret to more co-op housing. Just ask Canada.
In Canada, more than half of all housing on community land trusts is cooperative housing. In the U.S., that number is less than 2%. Why?
FEATURE
How a data center derailed $240,000 for affordable housing in rural Maine
In rural Maine, nearly a quarter of a million dollars in federal money earmarked for housing was rescinded from a small town after local officials sought to use the funds for a data center.
Caltrans investigates 140-mph ‘Bullet Buses’ between LA and San Francisco
Move over, high speed rail. California might soon be getting bus rapid transit gone wild.
Washington passes first statewide bill allowing 'scissor stairs'
The move comes on the heels of the state's 2023 building code reform to allow single-stair apartments.
FEATURE
Learning to love Houston
It’s clear that the city’s permissive housing development policies help with affordability. But how are the vibes?
As oil prices skyrocket, so do employer-paid e-bike and scooter subscriptions
Ridepanda subscriptions, which allow companies to offer e-bike and scooter subscriptions as a workplace perk, are up over 300% as commute costs soar.
Georgia data center drained 30 million gallons of water — and didn't pay for it
An investigation reveals the center, set to be one of the largest in the country and where residents have been put on water conservation restrictions, owes nearly $150,000.
Waymo recalls 3800 robotaxis with '100% defect rate' after dangerous flood incident
Federal regulators determined the vehicles pose significant danger due to a defect that caused one empty taxi to be swept away by flood waters.
Mamdani boosts NYC bus and bike lane budget
The city's Streets Master Plan will receive $65 million annually by 2030 for improvements to bus, bike and public realm infrastructure, but critics question if it will be enough.
Johns Hopkins updates their sprawl database
In a follow up to their 2014 study, Johns Hopkins has released new data on urban sprawl in the U.S. and new findings on its health and wellbeing impacts.
Trump cancels rule that made conservation an official 'use' of public land
The rule allowed the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees about 10% of land in the U.S., to put conservation on equal footing with resource extraction and other development.
Redistricting threatens Louisiana’s Black representation in Congress
As the Louisiana Legislature advances election maps that would pull apart New Orleans' minority-majority district, leaders urge action.
Breaking point: Why the affordable housing business model is unraveling
Affordable housing has never been easy to finance. Now, with rising insurance, debt, and operating costs outpacing rents and subsidies, developers say it’s getting harder to make the math work.
FEATURE
What is going on with the AICP exam?
Changes to the AICP exam abound. Planetizen’s AICP prep class leader Jeff Levine gives us the skinny on what’s new — and what’s coming down the pike.
In Los Angeles and beyond, landfills and gas stations are the new public spaces
With scarce urban land, transforming overlooked and underutilized urban pockets into parks and green space it critical to meeting growing community, climate, and equity needs.
Report: 16% of roads that received federal funds remain in poor condition
Despite a glut of federal funding, most state DOTs used the money for expanding highways instead of maintaining existing roads.
How Jakarta built the world's largest BRT system
Once known for total gridlock, the Indonesian capital has transformed itself into a public transit leader.
Now you can cross from Iowa to South Dakota on a pedestrian bridge
The Big Sioux Pedestrian Bridge connects a park and a golf course on the other side of the Big Sioux River.
Proposed Illinois law would prohibit local zoning from banning group homes
Zoning laws in some cities prohibit shared housing arrangements, including communities for people with disabilities.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
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.
