The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Row of newly constructed green two-story townhomes.

Proposed ‘ROAD to Housing’ Bill Tackles Housing Affordability

The bill is a bipartisan effort in the Senate to ease regulations for housing development and reward cities and states that support pro-housing policies.

July 31 - Smart Cities Dive

Yellow vintage Houston streetcar labeled Bellaire parked on display under covered carport surrounded by wrought iron fence in Houston, Texas.

Houston Construction Reveals Former Streetcar Rails

Road construction workers dug up buried streetcar rails and brickwork paving.

July 31 - Houston Chronicle

Aerial view of traffic in a large intersection in North Carolina.

North Carolina Deploys 2,500 AI-Based Traffic Signals

The signals use AI to collect data and help traffic engineers make decisions and implement changes more quickly and effectively.

July 31 - Smart Cities Dive

Google Street View of former JFK Hilton Hotel in Jamaica, Queens.

First NYC Hotel Conversion Completes Construction

A 2021 state law aimed at promoting hotel conversions has had a rocky start, only now yielding its first completed project.

July 31 - City Limits

The Thinker sculpture by Rodin installed outdoors.

BLOG POST

The Basics of Artificial Neural Networks: What Urban Planners Should Know

Planetizen AI columnist Tom Sanchez takes us under the hood of the technology that drives many AI tools.

July 31 - Tom Sanchez


Bird's eye view of thin strip of land with palapas and palm trees in Tuvalu.

Sea Level Rise is Drowning This Pacific Island Nation; They Have a Plan

The nation of Tuvalu has created an ambitious plan to relocate its entire population and preserve key cultural and historic resources as rising seas threaten to wipe it out within three decades.

July 30 - Wired

Solar panels installed on wrought iron balcony in Germany.

Bay Area Embraces ‘Balcony Solar’

Popular in Germany, wall- or balcony-mounted solar panels come at a lower cost and face fewer regulatory hurdles than rooftop solar, but their legal status in California is murky.

July 30 - KQED


Group of bikes riding in front of Idaho State Capitol dome.

Idaho Bills Limit New Bike Lanes, Sidewalks

Cities in the county surrounding Boise will have to prove a “secondary benefit” before adding bike lanes or sidewalks to road projects.

July 30 - Cycling West

Oil pumpjack in a field at sunset.

The Osage Nation’s Effort to Clean Up Abandoned Oil Wells

The Osage Nation is leading a complex and long-term initiative to identify, plug, and remediate thousands of orphaned oil wells on its reservation, protecting land, water, and community health for future generations.

July 30 - Osage News

Blue and white "Accessible Route" sign with wheelchair logo.

Knoxville Ranked Best US City for People With Disabilities

An analysis of accessibility, affordability, healthcare access, and other metrics reveals the most disability-friendly U.S. cities.

July 30 - Trajector Medical

Blue electric transit bus in Manhattan with I <3 NY logo on side.

FTA Allows Changes to Low or No Emission Grant Proposals

Grant recipients can change their proposals from zero-emission to low-emission projects, a move the FTA says will offer more flexibility to cities and transit providers.

July 30 - Mass Transit

Downtown Los Angeles viewed from Echo Park with lake with artesian fountain in foreground.

A Vision for the Future: LA County Releases Draft Sustainability Plan

Los Angeles County has released the draft 2025 OurCounty Sustainability Plan — shaped by community input — and is inviting public feedback through August 22 to help guide the County’s path toward a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.

July 29 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Aerial view of San Fernando, California.

Honoring Elders: California Tribe Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing

The Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians is launching its first senior housing project in Los Angeles County, creating 26 affordable units to serve Native elders and address longstanding housing inequities.

July 29 - Tribal Business News

View of dense San Diego neighborhood with multi-family buildings.

Which San Diego County Cities Are Building New Housing?

Chula Vista permitted the most new housing units per capita, while El Cajon is adding the least.

July 29 - Voice of San Diego

Highway 101 winding through redwood trees with road sign for Eureka, CA partially visible in top right.

Caltrans Plans $2 Billion Tunnel to Save Crumbling Coastal Highway

A roadway connecting Eureka and Crescent City is a lifeline for local residents, but its future is uncertain as rock slides force repeated closures.

July 29 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rendering of new roundabouts at highway intersection in Baxter, Minnesota surrounded by Costco and other large stores.

Opinion: Minnesota ‘Buttonhook’ Project a ‘Highway Engineer’s Fever Dream’

Charles Marohn argues that building six new roundabouts to preserve access to big box stores and strip malls is an ineffective way to reduce traffic.

July 29 - Strong Towns

Small green house on unfinished lot with red earthmover and workers in front yard.

Kentucky Nonprofits Build ‘Higher Ground’ Homes

After destructive floods displaced thousands of Kentucky families, developers are building climate-resilient homes away from flood-prone areas.

July 29 - Kentucky Lantern

Row of colorful two-story brick residential buildings in Washington, D.C. with U.S. flags hanging from doorways.

Report: Proposed DC RENTAL Law Would Harm Black and Low-Income Residents

The proposal would speed up evictions, eliminate some protections for tenants, and exempt buildings from a law that requires tenants have first right of purchase.

July 29 - Washington Citypaper

Large Google data center building in The Dalles, Oregon.

Data Centers Threaten Western Water Supplies, Power Grids

The rapidly growing need for water to cool data centers is endangering one of the West’s most essential resources.

July 28 - High Country News

Close-up of hand inserting Mobility Wallet card into green Los Angeles Metro ticketing machine.

LA’s ‘Mobility Wallet’ Helps Bridge Transportation Gaps

The city gave 1,000 residents a $150 monthly transportation stipend that covered transit, bike share, ride hailing, and car rentals.

July 28 - UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Post News
Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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.

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.