The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Around the Globe, Urban Diversity Is Alive and Well
It might feel like the world is shrinking as globalization expands, but many cities still have their individual characters and qualities.

OP-ED: Why Quality Matters in Bike Lanes
The real test of a city’s bike infrastructure isn’t measured in miles of bike lane but in how comfortable and safe they are for everyone.

Doubt Cast on Induced Demand for Housing
Applied to roads, the theory of induced demand says new construction only brings out more users. But can something similar be said of housing? According to this research, the likely answer is no.

'Landmark' Rent Protections Deal Moving Forward in New York
The New York State Legislature has made a deal paving the way for local governments to approve rent regulations—a degree of local control that was previously impossible in the state.

Study: A McMansion Can't Buy Happiness
As houses grow and households shrink, many Americans have a lot more space to themselves. But recent research says they aren't any happier trying to keep up with Joneses.

A Sustainability Plan for Georgia's Most Populous County
Fulton County, Georgia, home to Atlanta, adopted the "2019 Sustainability Plan + Resilience" earlier this month, focused on addressing the effects of climate change.

The Small City Leading the New Era of Redevelopment in California
La Verne is the first city in Los Angeles County, and one of the first in the state, to implement an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, designed to generate a source of funding to replace the loss of redevelopment funds during the recession.

The Case for Upzoning
The parallel crises of pollution and housing affordability require denser zoning of land uses, otherwise known as upzoning, according to this article.

Private Golf Courses Closing in Chicago's Suburbs
Failing golf courses pose a choice for cities that can use tax dollars to turn them public or put the land to use in other ways.

NYC Planning Head Defends Growth-Oriented Policies
Acknowledging anti-development sentiments currently simmering at an "all-time high," New York's planning director Marisa Lago defended de Blasio administration policies like mandatory inclusionary housing.

Following a Failed Referendum, Nashville Transit Advocates Regroup
Last spring, voters resoundingly quashed Let's Move Nashville, a $5.4 billion plan to build out the city's transit options. The plan paid too little attention to current riders, advocates say, and they aim to do things differently.

Yosemite Shuttles Reportedly Crowded and Unsafe
The popular park's shuttle buses are intended to ease traffic and get people out of their cars. But critics say management and maintenance of the shuttle system leave much to be desired.

Cracked Beams Repaired, S.F.'s Transbay Transit Center Ready to Reopen
Buses and people will soon return to the Transbay Transit Center, which operated for just over a month at the end of 2018 before structural flaws forced the closure of the facility for inspections and repairs.

ADU Reform Moves Forward in Seattle
A sweeping reform of Seattle's current accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules is currently underway. Proposed legislation sets the stage for an ADU boom to potentially match Vancouver and Portland.

Beyond YIMBY: Racism and Finance in the Housing Crisis
Upzoning without addressing speculation and finance could exacerbate the housing crisis for the nation’s most vulnerable communities, a professor of urban planning warns.

BLOG POST
Do Denser Neighborhoods Have Safer Streets?
Erick Guerra of the University of Pennsylvania writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research

New Opportunities for First Ring Suburbs
Cincinnati’s first ring suburbs have gone through a pattern of boom and bust, but civic boosters are focusing on the opportunities of the present day.

Scrutiny for U.S. DOT Secretary Elaine Chao's Entangled Interests
The results of two recent investigations allege questionable ethical practices by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, connected to the secretary's family shipping business and marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Which Cities Have the Most Breweries Per Capita
A new study reveals with cities have the most beer to go around.

Cities on the Verge of a Housing Crisis
This analysis of the largest metropolitan areas in the country reveals high housing prices spilling over into many parts of the country not located on the coasts.
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