The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BLOG POST
December Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
As cities and states change zoning laws to accommodate more housing, federal funding cuts and immigration raids that are impacting the construction labor market could slow efforts to alleviate the housing crisis.
How Cambridge Restored its Public Housing
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, residents speak positively of the renovations to their public housing stock. The housing authority attributes its success to an innovative mix of RAD with other funding sources.
San Diego Trolley Cuts Late Trips in Half With New Copper Line Service
A new extension adds a transfer for some riders, but has vastly improved the system’s overall performance.
California Law Bars Cities From Punishing Homelessness Outreach Workers
A state law seeks to protect workers who provide services to unhoused residents, regardless of where they live.
Commentary: Eminent Domain is a Slippery Slope
Can accepting eminent domain lead to accepting the loss of other, more foundational rights?
BLOG POST
Public Sector Consulting Isn’t Evil, but We Have to Keep it Honest
At its best, public sector consulting builds knowledge and delivers value for taxpayers. At its worst, it entrenches dependence and wastes resources. A code of ethics for keeping consulting ethical.
Average Manhattan Rent Topped $5,400 This Year
The borough’s vacancy rate is just aboe 2 percent.
Washington’s E-Bike Rebate Rollout Shows Success for $1,200 Incentive, Low Redemption Rate for $300 Vouchers
The state’s first e-bike rebate program offers some valuable lessons for future rollouts.
Arizona Court Rejects Local Control Over Short-Term Rentals
A judge upheld a 2017 law that prohibits local jurisdictions from limiting Airbnbs and other short-term rentals.
Trump Administration Could Give SpaceX Nearly 800 Acres of Wildlife Refuge in South Texas Land Deal
A proposed land exchange would give the company over 700 acres of coastal land.
These Cities are Making Code Enforcement Supportive, not Punitive
We can upkeep homes without punishing low-income residents. Here are some lessons for change, and cities already doing that work on the ground.
If Self-Driving Systems Imitate Human Drivers, Are They any Safer?
Tesla’s ‘Mad Max’ mode and other self-driving systems often flout traffic laws — just like human drivers.
FEATURE
Great Cities Don’t Just Acknowledge That We Age In Them — They Build For It. We Can Too.
We age in sidewalks, public spaces, transit stops, and community centers — not in hospitals. As populations age, the built environment will determine whether our cities thrive or struggle in the decades ahead.
One Year After the LA Fires, Just 13% of Damaged Homes Have a Rebuilding Permit
After a slow start, permitting is starting to pick up.
California Abandons Lawsuit Over Federal High-Speed Rail Funds
The state is taking a new approach to its high-speed rail project, saying the federal government is not a “reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner.”
South Texas Home Builders Say “There’s no Labor” After ICE Raids
Construction is slowing as immigration detentions have a chilling effect on the labor market.
Commentary: Intercity Buses are One Answer to Air Travel Woes
Recet disruptions to air travel highlight the importance of a multimodal intercity transportation system.
New NYC Law Gives Nonprofits a Leg up on Certain Property Purchases
Mission-driven groups will get an early chance to make offers on properties that can be rehabilitated and preserved as affordable.
New Jersey Buyout Program Turns Flood-Prone Properties Into Green Buffer Zones
For 30 years, The Blue Acres program has offered homeowners in high-risk flood zones the chance to relocate, preserving land as open space.
2025 Brought Seismic Changes to California Housing Laws
New state laws and policies created in reaction to devastating wildfires could spell massive changes for Southern California’s housing landscape.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
