The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Twin Cities Climate Vulnerability: Extreme Heat
State climatologists are highly confident that heat waves are likely to trend upwards in future summers in Minnesota. To address extreme heat, researchers are identifying the factors that exacerbate extreme heat.

Landlords Facing Loss of Property and Income During Eviction Bans
Independent landlords struggle to keep up with the cost of rental units and continue to face massive income drops caused by eviction moratoriums. Some of them are pushing back.

Senate Report Proposes Land Use and Transportation Reforms to Get Americans Out of Cars
Progress in combating climate change won't be possible unless Americans drive less. And Americans won't be able to drive less without changes to land use patterns in the United States.

New Research Connects Land Use to Ride-Hailing Trips
Many of the places in Chicago generating the most ride-hailing trips with services like Uber and Lyft are accessible by transit, according to new research.

Trump Neglects Cities to the Peril of the Economy, Experts Say
President Trump is infamous for politicizing civil unrest in cities, but his leadership's animus to urban areas is found in policy as well, despite the importance of large cities to the nation's economy.

Pandemic Persists With Tragic Consequences for Transit Workers
Labor unions are raising alarms about the difficulties of keeping transit workers—the essential workers upon which so many essential workers rely—safe during the pandemic.

Condo Sales Drop Everywhere in New York City, But Least of All Outside of Manhattan
A clearer picture of the economic downturn's effects on New York City real estate is emerging. So far, new buyers are betting on boroughs not named Manhattan.

Houston Lacks Zoning—Or Does It? The State Supreme Court Will Decide
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.

Don't Call it The 606: Chicago's Popular Linear Park Gets a New Name
The Chicago Park District wants to be extra sure we're all clear on this.

How Electric Bikes Help in Battling COVID-19
For the last six months, the world has been on a stand-still. As government-imposed lockdowns spread across the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been looking left and right for alternatives to cope with the “new normal.”

Drastic Transit Layoffs Planned in Denver Area to Offset Budget Deficit
As Colorado's Regional Transportation District plans for the 2021 budget, over 800 jobs could be cut as in attempts to regain financial losses caused by the coronavirus.

Phoenix Eviction and Foreclosure Rates Doubled the National Average—Then the Pandemic Hit
A new report looks at pre-existing foreclosure and eviction rates to predict where the worst outcomes of the pandemic's economic downturn for homeowners and renters are likely to happen.

Amtrak in Dire Financial Straits, Seeking More Federal Relief Funding
Amtrak officials say they need $4.9 billion in funding to prevent service and job losses.

1.2 Million Climate Refugees and Counting in the United States
Americans are fleeing the effects of climate change by the millions. Expect the number of climate refugees to continue to grow.

Tourism-Based Urban Economies Will Have to Innovate to Survive the Pandemic
It is time to make bold, disruptive changes to Barcelona's economy, according to this article, by fueling innovation, sustainability, and policies to improve residents' quality of life.

BLOG POST
Which Cities Are Becoming More Violent?
Some cities have become significantly more violent since the George Floyd protests began—but not all. Why have some cities been more successful than others?

Coronavirus College Clusters Stress Town and Gown Relationship
College towns that have been observing public health guidelines and seen relatively few COVID-19 cases are now seeing infections spike as young people return to take classes. The New York Times has been tracking cases in colleges and college towns.

Has The Moment Arrived To End Political Interference in L.A. City's Land Use Decisions?
Writing under the nom de plume of the ghost of Ed Logue, an L.A.-based land use professional offers this modest proposal for eliminating political interference and campaign cash from L.A. city planning.

Sound Transit Centers Transit-Dependent Communities in 2021 Service Changes
With the Northgate link light rail expansion project nearing completion and the effects of the pandemic lingering, Sound Transit will change its bus routes in 2021. The transit authority focuses on equity in plotting the route changes.

Formerly Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher COVID-19 Prevalence, Study Says
Add COVID-19 to the list of long-term consequences of the racist and discriminatory regulatory and lending practices of the 20th century.
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