The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Downtown Phoenix

Satellite, Launched Into Space Earlier This Month, to Measure Urban Heat Island Effect

A new satellite, currently residing on the International Space Station and scheduled for deployment in January, will measure and map the urban heat island effect of seven U.S. cities.

November 25 - Arizona Republic

Home Repairs

Federal Housing Administration Expands Housing Rehab Support to Opportunity Zones

The Limited 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program will now be available in federally designated Opportunity Zones, and with more to loan than in the previous iteration of the program.

November 25 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Home Sold Sign

How One Startup Approaches Rent-To-Own

Founded two years ago, Divvy buys homes for cash and then leases them to tenants who apply part of their rent toward a down payment.

November 25 - Tampa Bay Times

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Seattle Companies Want to Drive Down Prohibitive ADU Costs

Legal barriers to accessory dwelling units may be disappearing in some places, but costs can still be prohibitive. Several companies are stepping forward with more affordable options.

November 25 - The Urbanist

British Columbia

Vancouver Making Room for More Apartments

As a response to rising rental prices and low vacancy rates, Vancouver planners have created a package of zoning and process changes to provide incentives for new multi-family developments.

November 25 - The Vancouver Sun


Detroit Riverfront

Six Big Projects to Watch in Detroit

A new chapter of Detroit's development history is ready to begin, as six iconic projects head toward the finish line.

November 25 - Detroit Free Press

Central Suburban Passenger Company

A New Suburban Rail System for Moscow

Two of a planned five new suburban rail routes, modeled on examples in Paris and Berlin, opened last week in Russia.

November 25 - Railway Gazette


Model Neighborhood

Urban, Suburban, or Rural?

The Pew Research Center digs into a question of definitions, fraught with exceptions and subjectivity.

November 25 - Decoded - Pew Research Center

New York Bike Signage

Op-Ed: NYC Making Progress on Bike Network Access, Should Do More

2019 was the first year in which New York City's Department of Transportation kept affected bike lanes open during the UN's General Assembly. That should be a sign of things to come, advocates argue.

November 25 - StreetsBlog NYC

South Los Angeles Market-Rate Housing Development

Controversial Housing Development Nixed in South L.A.

The local planning commission for South Los Angeles rejected a controversial multi-family housing development proposed for a location adjacent to a future light rail station.

November 24 - Los Angeles Times

Colorado Interstate

$1.6 Billion Highway Improvement Program Announced in Colorado

The Colorado Department of Transportation will spend big on highway projects over the next three years.

November 24 - The Denver Post

Walmart Museum

Plans for Walmart's New Corporate Headquarters Return to Company's Roots

Walmart hasn't always synonymous with sprawl, and maybe it won't always be. Its new corporate headquarters has been designed as a walkable urban place, and a magnet for talent.

November 24 - Curbed

Massachusetts State Capitol

No 'Housing Choice' Bill in Massachusetts This Year

The key item on the housing agenda of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker will have to wait until next year.

November 24 - The Boston Globe

Yonge Street Toronto

A Pedestrian-Forward Vision for Toronto Roadway

Toronto’s iconic Yonge Street is heavily used by pedestrians, and, according to this article, it's time for a revamp that acknowledges all of the street's users.

November 24 - The Star

Los Angeles Skyline

Blade Runner's Dystopian World and the L.A. of Today

The original "Blade Runner" takes place in the Los Angeles of November 2019. How does the film’s vision of the city compare with the present-day reality?

November 23 - LAist

Dollar Store

In Tulsa, Pushing Back on the Dollar Store Incursion

Restrictions in North Tulsa are part of a backlash against the dollar stores flooding communities that are food deserts in need of real grocery stores.

November 23 - The New York Times

Wind farm and greenhouse gas farm, together

California's Priorities for Electrification and Resilience

CEC Chair David Hochschild shares the commission’s strategy for improving the current grid system and how California has been, and will continue to be, a global leader in clean energy innovation.

November 23 - VerdeXchange News

Wise County, Texas

$3.5 Billion Development With Room for 10,000 Homes Planned Near Forth Worth

When complete, the Rolling V Ranch will be one of the largest residential developments in the state of Texas.

November 23 - The Dallas Morning News

Parking

Saturday Satire: The Bad Intentions of a Trader Joe's Parking Lot

Anywhere a Trader Joe's parking lot can be found, there's also an overfull parking lot capable of crushing souls.

November 23 - McSweeney's

New York Champagne

Study: Uber Might Have Curbed Drunk Driving, But Not Drunks

A news study raises questions about the public health effects of the widespread availability of a ride enabled by companies like Uber and Lyft—while it's easier to avoid drunk driving, it's also easier to drink.

November 22 - The Economist

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.