The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Ben Carson

FEATURE

The Hypocrisies and Troubles of Local Control

President Trump has opinions about the sanctity of local control that don't agree with his other opinions about local control. This is a cautionary tale.

September 16 - James Brasuell

child playing in Peavey Plaza fountain in Minneapolis

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.

September 16 - PlanIt - Metropolitan Council

Apartment renter

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.

September 16 - Politico

Fast Forward Bus

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.

September 16 - Transportation for America

Chicago

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.

September 16 - Science Direct


Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump

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.

September 16 - The Washington Post

Lake Oswego Transit Center

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.

September 16 - The American Prospect


Manhattan Skyline

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.

September 16 - The New York Times

Houston, Construction

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.

September 15 - Houston Chronicle

Bloomingdale Trail

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.

September 15 - Block Club Chicago

New York Bike Delivery

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.”

September 15 - E-Ride Solutions

RTD Bus

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.

September 15 - CPR News

Moving Van

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.

September 15 - Arizona Republic

Amtrak Train

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.

September 15 - Reuters via St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Flood Damaged Suburb

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.

September 15 - The Week

Coronavirus and Urbanism

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.

September 15 - Cities of the Future

New York Police Department

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?

September 14 - Michael Lewyn

Iowa City

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.

September 14 - The New York Times

City Hall

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.

September 14 - The Planning Report

Seattle light rail

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.

September 14 - The Urbanist

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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.