The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
‘Data Bikes’ Help Governments Understand Bike Path Conditions
Sensors on specially equipped bikes can collect information on trail accessibility and pavement conditions to prioritize maintenance projects.
Albuquerque Moves to Close Alleyways to Deter Unhoused People
Cities around the country are enacting more restrictive regulations after the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of local governments in Grants Pass v. Johnson.
Wyoming Task Force Considers Statewide Zoning Reform
The state task force will examine six bills aimed at limiting local opposition to new housing development.
Reconnecting Communities Grant Round Offers $600M for Highway Mitigation Projects
The program is part of the 2021 infrastructure law and calls for improving access in communities disadvantaged by freeways.
Biden Administration Proposes Federal Rent Hike Limits
A new policy would limit rent increases to 5 percent for landlords receiving federal tax write-offs.
St. Petersburg Could Impose ‘Superfines’ for Airbnb Violations
The city is responding to multiple complaints that short-term rental owners are concealing their listings and skirting city rules banning rentals under 30 days.
Opinion: Montgomery County Regulations Stifle Nightlife
The county hasn’t acted on the recommendations of its own Nighttime Economy Task Force, which suggested ways to improve the business climate for restaurants and nightclubs to draw younger residents to the region.
Thousands of NYC Shelter Residents Lack Air Conditioning
Even in the depths of extreme heat, many shelters prohibit residents from installing AC units.
King County to Sunset Public Restroom Program
The agency cites the high cost of the program and a county code that bars restroom facilities from transit centers as reasons for ending the six-month pilot.
Deadly Contact Burns Rising in the Southwest
As heat waves become more frequent and severe, hospitals are seeing more patients admitted with serious, sometimes life-threatening burns from asphalt and other outdoor surfaces.
12 Technologies That Will Shape Future of Urban Planning
Experts from Forbes compiled a list of technologies they say will have the greatest impact on urban living, and several of them will have major impacts on urban planning practice.
Controversial Blight Ordinance in Gilbert, Arizona, Zeroes in on Backyards
Local officials in Gilbert, Arizona, say a new town ordinance that will fine homeowners for unsightly debris in their backyards is about fighting blight; critics say it’s a violation of their Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.
Louisville Creates its First Municipal DOT
The new department will be tasked with speeding up transportation and infrastructure projects.
Chicago Transit Leaders Oppose Merger Legislation, Pleading for More Funding
Ahead of a multi-million dollar fiscal cliff in 2026, CTA, Metra, and Pace pushed back on a potential merger at the first of several hearings to determine their futures in the wake of decreased ridership.
New York State Climate Plan Stalls
Of 35 recommendations presented in the state’s climate scoping plan, just one has been implemented so far.
BLOG POST
Playing With Numbers, Even for Environmental Justice, Isn't Justified
Environmental justice is an important issue, but does not justify playing with the numbers. But that's exactly what I found in a new study of the impacts of warehouses in New Jersey done by the Environmental Defense Foundation.
Seattle Law Eases Office Conversions
Despite city and state incentives, officials expect the program will result in a modest number of new housing units.
Long Beach Has Installed Nearly 100 Traffic Circles
They range from large traffic circles that reduce congestion to small neighborhood roundabouts designed to slow local traffic.
Chicago Tenants’ Union Distributes AC Units to Low-Income Renters
The group wants to draw attention to the dangers of extreme heat and encourage tenants to organize to demand improved conditions.
Invasive Beetles Put Oregon Forests at Risk
Two recently discovered borer beetles could lead to a significant loss of tree canopy.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.
