The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Homelessness Crisis Deepened, Even Before the Pandemic
New numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show "devastating" growth in the number of unhoused people in the United States in January 2020.

Zoning Revision Process Hits Snags in Philadelphia
A pair of advocates criticize recent actions to slow zoning revisions in the city of Philadelphia.

'Housing Supply and Affordability Act' Offers $1.5 Billion in Grants for Development-Friendly Zoning Reforms
The Housing Supply and Affordability Act would be a major victory for the YIMBY cause.

BLOG POST
'Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste' and Planning in the Pandemic
The latest in a series of compendia collecting news and commentary focusing on the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on communities.

Case Study: Florida Road Diet Reduces Crashes, Adds Minimal Congestion
A controversial road diet has faced disapproval from local business owners, but data shows a significant reduction in crashes and a minimal increase in congestion.

Connecticut Is Considering Statewide Zoning Reform. This Map May Be Why
Desegregate CT's Zoning Atlas is a first-in-the-nation map showing how all 2,620 zoning districts and two subdivision districts in Connecticut treat housing—a massive undertaking that required a team to read 32,378 pages of zoning regulations.

New Mexico Communities Reflect on Racial Restrictive Covenants
Explicitly racist and exclusionary language remains embedded in many communities' restrictive covenants. State legislators and local leaders want to change that.

As the Pandemic Continues, Officials Look to Long-Term Housing Options with Hotels
Advocates point to a bevy of successes in slowing the spread of the virus, but authorities struggle with cost burden.

Biden Administration Reportedly Crafting a $3 Trillion Infrastructure Package
Just a few days after signing the $1.9 trillion "American Rescue Plan," the Biden administration is reportedly putting together a massive infrastructure spending plan that could overhaul the nation's transportation an energy infrastructure.

Atlanta Passes New Short-Term Rental Rules
Under the new regulations, homeowners must register for a license and collect city hotel taxes for short-term rental properties.

Brooklyn Waterfront Development Unveils Revised Design
The massive River Ring Waterfront Master Plan includes two towers containing 1,050 residential units, a three-acre beach, and 5,000 square feet of community kiosks.

California's 'Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure'
The newly released Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure shifts the state's transportation priorities to focus on clean energy and livability.

Racial Equity and Regulatory Review
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden took several steps to advance racial equity.

Philadelphia Park Designed for, not Against, People Experiencing Homelessness
In an effort to make public spaces more inclusive, a new pocket park in the Callowhill neighborhood will seek input from people experiencing homelessness on how to make the space more welcoming and functional.

FEATURE
The Miseducation of Cities
A review of the provocative new book by Davarian L. Baldwin, In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower.

Opinion: Western Towns Need More Density, Not More Sprawl
To fix the housing crisis, cities should focus on "missing middle housing" and multi-family development.

The World's Highest Rates of Coronavirus Infections and Deaths
Brazil and the U.S. lead the world in daily COVID-19 cases and deaths. Western Europe is undergoing a third wave of infections, resulting in a new round of lockdowns, yet most of these nations are not among the 12 hotspots shown on a global tracker.

Research Shows Urban Trees Stave off Depression
A new study shows that regular exposure to trees and green spaces has a powerful impact on depression and mental health.

Pedestrian Activity Increased Most Outside of Cities in 2020
The locations with the largest increases of pedestrian activity during the pandemic year are all in Florida.

California Assembly Continues to Debate High-Speed Rail
With a train-friendly administration in Washington, supporters of the project hope that state leaders will make a stronger commitment to funding the full project.
Pagination
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
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