The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Challenging the Permitting Record of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Zoning in the U.S. was originally intended to keep noxious uses out of residential areas. Around Houston, which famously lacks a traditional zoning system, polluting uses are still granted broad permission to operate in residential areas.
Madrid Has the Bike Infrastructure Model the U.S. Needs
A happy accident, Madrid may have stumbled onto a bike infrastructure program with great results. Only time will tell if "slow" lanes yield long-term positive results.
Bus Priority Falling to Local Political Opposition in New York City
An ambitious program to add 20 miles of bus lanes and protected bus ways in the city of New York has been diminished by political opposition in parts of the city.
How and Why to Cancel Rent During the Pandemic Depression
The rallying cry to cancel rent has been heard since the early days of the pandemic, but it takes on new urgency now as the economic effects of the pandemic linger past the expiration date of eviction moratoriums.
BLOG POST
The Trouble With Equity
Equity is a fine value—but on contentious land use issues, equity can be used to support either side of the argument.
Seeing the Los Angeles River in Whole New Way
We seem to have an app for everything. Now we have one that walks a viewer through the river’s history from the pre-historic era to the present.
Another Grim Coronavirus Milestone: This Time in Southern California
COVID-19 deaths topped 5,000 in Los Angeles County last week as deaths continue to mount due to a hasty reopening after an early shutdown. The center of the of outbreak in California now shifts to the Central Valley.
Phoenix Reshapes Local Food Distribution System During Pandemic
As tons of local produce runs the risk of over-ripening and perishing in Phoenix, Local First Arizona Foundation develops an organization structure to collect, prepare, and distribute local food.
Economic Recovery in Legacy Cities
Americans living in legacy cities face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several local, state, and federal support strategies could aid these cities in recouping losses.
China's Big Recovery Bet: High-Speed Rail
In China, economic stimulus means high-speed rail spending—and lots of it.
Lasting Affordability Is the Path to Resilience
These six housing investment strategies will incorporate lasting affordability, racial equity, and resilience into COVID-19 recovery plans.
Public Transit in Crisis: Low-Income Riders Have the Most to Lose From Service Cuts
Riders who rely most on public transit are suffering the worst consequences of the cuts to service during the fiscal belt tightening of the coronavirus pandemic.
Big Investors Cornering the Canadian Rental Market
What's good for pension funds and real estate investment trusts is likely bad for renters.
Book Review: Discovering Griffith Park
There is finally a guidebook for one of the country's largest city parks. Learn more about it in this L.A. Times review.
Plan to Auction Oil Drilling Rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Finalized
The Trump administration has a new signature achievement, in finalizing a plan to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.
Considering the Legacy of the Metro Green Line after 25 Years of Service
25 years of the Metro C (Green) Line means reckoning with a history of destruction and displacement while looking forward to upcoming improvements.
FEATURE
Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today’s Housing Crisis
Dan Parolek, inventor of the term Missing Middle Housing, has written a new book on the subject, available now from Island Press. The following excerpts offer insight into overcoming planning and regulatory barriers to deliver the desired housing.
The Disconnect Between Virus Prevalence and Local Business Climate
Public health experts assert that to safely reopen the economy, the coronavirus needs to be contained. In Manhattan, where the virus is largely controlled, chain restaurants are closing while their sister stores in Florida are expanding.
A Detailed Look at Women's Urban Experiences
In Feminist City, geographer Leslie Kern describes the often invisible ways in which cities are unwelcome to women. It's an essential look at the urban gender divide, and it passionately calls for gender equity in the planning profession.
How New York City Subways Prevent Viral Spread, Illustrated
Detailed animations of ventilation systems in New York City subway cars provide transit riders with a better understanding of the possibility of community spread in subway cars.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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.
