The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
FEATURE
War and Place: The Iran you Don't see in the News
The world is watching Iran right now through the narrow lens of conflict. When governments see the world through a target reticle, smoke fills the frame — and the places people actually live get ignored.
Colorado Law Lets Schools, Other Public Agencies Build Housing Regardless of Local Zoning
The law is modeled on a similar failed measure from last year that included fewer eligible organizations.
The Restaurant Industry’s ‘Missing Middle’
Locally owned restaurants affordable to middle-income families are disappearing or being forced to raise prices as costs grow.
LA Delays State TOD Law to 2030 With its Own, Lower-density Plan
SB 79 allows cities to delay its implementation if they come up with alternate plans to boost density while retaining local control near transit.
Mamdani Budget Funds Queensway, Dimming Hope for Reactivated Long Island Rail
Supporters of a proposed rail extension say building the elevated park as proposed would make it harder to bring trains back to this part of Queens.
South Florida Microtransit Nears 1.5 Million Rides
Fort Lauderdale’s LauderGO! shuttle service reported 700,000 rides.
Lawsuit Delays DC Bike Lane Closure Until at Least April
Crashes on 15th Street dropped by 46% since the bike lanes were added.
BLOG POST
Getting Started with AI: A Practical Guide for Urban Planners
Planetizen’s resident AI and planning expert answers the number one question he gets asked: where do I begin?
Co-living ‘Microapartments’ Cost Half as Much to Build as Typical Studios
In 10 major U.S. metros, an analysis found that converting office buildings to small co-living units could dramatically cut the costs of construction.
Study: Building More Forest Roads Would Quadruple Fire Risk
The administration plans to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects close to 60 million acres of national forest lands from road development.
NYC to Upgrade 1/3 of its Subway Car Fleet
The MTA is seeking proposals for up to 2,390 new subway cars to upgrade its aging fleet.
Trump Administration to Pay Energy Firm $1 Billion to Kill Wind Farms in Favor of Fossil Fuel Projects
TotalEnergies will forfeit its lease on two proposed wind energy projects off the coasts of New York and North Carolina.
US Census Starts Using Postal Workers as Census Takers
A test program is using postal carriers to administer Census questionnaires.
Oklahoma has Over 200,000 Vacant Homes. None are Affordable to Low-income Families.
The state faces a shortage of over 80,000 rental units for extremely low-income households while hundreds of thousands of vacant units face financial or legal barriers to restoration.
Study: Driver Assistance Systems Increase Distraction, ‘False Sense of Security’
A recent crash involving the former head of Uber’s self-driving division is drawing scrutiny once more to issues with Tesla’s ‘self-driving’ mode.
NYC’s ‘ADU for You’ Initiative Offers Pre-approved Plans and Financing Tools
The project pairs pre-approved plans with financing and other tools to help more homeowners build accessory units.
BLOG POST
Transit Scheduling 101: Building A Timetable ⌛
How to build a timetable without the need for specialized scheduling software in this installment of Transit Scheduling 101!
New Washington State Law Lets Cities Give Social Housing Developers City-owned Land
In its current form, HB 1687, which authorizes local governments to assist social housing agencies with land or other resources, only applies to Seattle.
San Diego School District Plans to Build 3,000 Homes for Employees
The district wants to offer affordable housing to 10 percent of its staff by 2030.
LA Metro Increases Highway Expansion Budget by 40%
Metro has plans to expand freeways including the 5, 105, and 405, among others.
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.
