The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

PLANOPEDIA
What Is a Central Business District (CBD)?
A central business district (CBD) is a geographic area sometimes referred to as downtown, but with key distinctions critical to an understanding of city and regional planning.

COVID Stimulus Details for Planners
A few last minute changes were included in the version of the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, approved by Congress last night.

Adapting Building Codes to Natural Disasters Saves Billions
New research shows that modern building codes have prevented around $27 billion in damage from natural disasters between 2000 and 2016, yet many cities still operate under decades-old regulations.

The Race to Preserve America's Black Cemeteries
America's historic Black cemeteries, which have long fallen victim to displacement, relocation, and outright destruction, could have a new ally in the fight for preservation and recognition.

Upzoning Isn't a Silver Bullet for Housing Affordability
Zoning changes have been a popular way to increase density and affordable housing, but more diversified policies could fill in the gaps where zoning fails.

2019 Crash Fatality Data Reveals Relative Calm Before the Storm
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's latest crash fatality data for 2019 showed improving safety conditions for road users from the year prior. That progress is likely to vanish when the data for 2020 are complete.

Boston Installs New Bike Lanes as Part of GoBoston 2030 Initiative
The city wants to cut its car use in half by 2030 as part of an aggressive set of "aspirational" goals.

BLOG POST
A Farewell to One-Size-Fits-All Urbanism
Sustaining culture and character is more than a black or white proposition. It requires a careful blend that depends on local circumstances, meticulous research, and self-knowledge.

California's Hospital Crisis: What Lies Ahead
As COVID infections and hospitalizations mount in California, ICU availability dropped to zero in Southern and Central California. Demand for hospital care is also outstripping supply in New Mexico.

Study Touts the Housing Affordability Benefits of Density for the State of Utah
The density debate can't be avoided in fast-growing Utah, according to the researchers and political leaders who support the findings of a new report from the University of Utah's Kem C. Garner Policy Institute.

Biden Diversifies Cabinet With EPA Administrator, Interior Secretary Picks
President-elect Biden made two historic cabinet selections: Michael Regan, who heads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, to run the U.S. EPA, and Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, to head the Interior Department.

'State of the Nation's Housing 2020' Report Traces Impact of COVID-19
The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies releases its "The State of the Nation’s Housing 2020" report last month.

Transportation Climate Initiative Expected to Cross the Finish Line
Twelve northeastern states and D.C. are expected to sign a new cap-and-investment scheme designed to lower emissions from transportation.

Vision Zero Action Plan Launched in Houston
In Houston, 60 percent of serious automobile crashes occur on 6 percent of the city's streets. A New Vision Zero Action Plan will focus safety improvements on those streets with a high density of traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Pandemic Bus Lanes Show Promise as Permanent Solutions
As cities streamline approval processes for bus-only lanes during the pandemic, transit experts hope the projects will lead to lasting change.

Where Housing Prices Climbed Most During the Pandemic
Homes in suburban and even rural locations were hot commodities on the pandemic real estate market, according to an industry report.

BLOG POST
The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics
The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.

Fighting No-Fault Evictions With a Just Cause Ordinance
Despite a statewide eviction moratorium, thousands of people have been evicted in Chicago since March. A coalition of housing advocates is proposing a just cause ordinance that would halt no-fault evictions.

A New Standard for Equity Investments
Fifth Third Bank is investing $2.8 billion in its Accelerating Racial Equality, Equity and Inclusion initiative.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
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.