The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Charlotte To Consider Fines for Housing Voucher Discrimination
A proposed policy would fine landlords who refuse to rent to voucher recipients, calling it “source of income discrimination.”
California Density Law Didn’t Kill the Single-Family Neighborhood
After the passage of a contentious zoning reform law that encourages ‘light infill’ in single-family neighborhoods, few California households have submitted applications to build extra units, largely due to onerous restrictions imposed by local laws.
Arizona Governor Vetoes Phoenix-Area Transportation Tax Vote, Shocking Local Leaders
Arizona state law requires Maricopa County to request approval from the state before it can send a transportation tax to the voters for approval.
Watch: Mexico’s $10 Billion Rail Line Through the Jungle
YouTube channel B1M takes a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula to examine the risks and the opportunities of Tren Maya—a $10 billion railway under construction to connect the south and southeast corners of the country to tourist destinations.
Advancing Play Equity Through Mobile Recreation
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is offering the Park on the Move program to enable more youth in park-poor communities to play and stay active.
Funding Allocated to Extend Life of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
In order to to ensure that the lights stay on, the California legislature approved allocating up to $75 million to extend the life of the state's sole remaining nuclear plant and four natural gas powered plants, to the chagrin of environmentalists.
6,000 Acres of Prime Open Space in Los Angeles County Now Protected
The largest undeveloped private property in L.A. County is now part of a protected ecological area that will preserve habitat and expand wildlife corridors between the San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, and Santa Susanna mountains.
High Gas Costs Making a Small Dent in Carbon Emissions
Americans are driving slightly less due to high prices at the pump, but this reduction in driving is only making a small impact on overall U.S. carbon emissions.
Pittsburgh’s Downtown Office Buildings Could Soon Become Housing
The city is proposing a $2.1 million boost to state and county efforts aimed at converting office buildings to affordable workforce housing.
Federal Agency To Launch Anti-Speeding Initiative
With traffic deaths rising around the country, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to address speeding and regulate autonomous vehicles.
Chicago Ordinance Would Require Complete Streets Upgrades
A proposed ordinance would require the city to upgrade pedestrian, bike, and transit infrastructure whenever a road is repaved.
Biden Administration Proposes New Rule to Track Emission Reductions by State DOTs
Some skepticism is warranted about the potential impact of a proposed federal rule for states and regional planning agencies to track greenhouse gas reductions from transportation investment.
New York and New Jersey Agree To Fund Gateway Hudson Tunnel
The two governors signed an agreement to fund the construction of two new rail tunnels to improve service between the two states.
Skyline-Shifting Development Approved in Los Angeles
The Downtown Los Angeles-adjacent neighborhood of Echo Park is set to get its first towers—including one new building reaching 49 stories.
The Demographics of San Francisco’s Pandemic Urban Exodus
New Census data break down San Francisco’s population losses during the first year-plus of the pandemic by race and age.
A Look at Austin’s Proposed Subway Stations
The Texas capital is planning an ambitious light rail system that will include subterranean stations.
The Case for a ‘Zoning Czar’
Federal oversight of zoning reforms could coordinate efforts across agencies and shoulder some of the political backlash to local zoning changes.
Who’s To Blame for Gentrification?
Most likely, no one in particular—but policy changes can alleviate the housing shortage and prevent displacement.
Almost 36,000 California Households Got Eviction Notices Last Year
Despite efforts to implement rental assistance programs and eviction moratoriums during the COVID-19 pandemic, tens of thousands of California households were served eviction notices last year, with more falling behind on rent payments.
Bay Area Pop-Ups Aim To Activate Vacant Storefronts
As commercial storefronts experience high vacancy rates, cities like Oakland and San Francisco are making concerted efforts to support temporary tenants, public art installations, and small entrepreneurs that can revitalize abandoned spaces.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
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.
