The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Legal Battle Over Wildlife Refuges in Northern California and Southern Oregon
A lawsuit marks the latest twist in an ongoing legal battle over what conservationists consider one of the most important waterfowl sanctuaries in the country.
Design Guidelines for the New York City Housing Authority
An article notes the signs of change at the New York City Housing Authority, which has adopted its first-ever design guidelines in a renewed effort to deliver safe and healthy homes to residents.
Climate Change Removed from White House Website
Well, that didn't take long! Goodbye Obama Clean Action Plan and restrictive environmental regulations; hello shale oil and gas revolution.

BLOG POST
Urban Cycling Revolution Under Threat by 'Shights' Epidemic (Satire)
Researchers have detected a disease threatening cycling infrastructure investment. Although city administrators continue to invest in living streets, until cyclists becomes self-aware, the automobile will continue to dominate cities.
New Neighborhood Plan in San Francisco Pitches the Public Benefits of Density
Central SoMa ("South of Market") in San Francisco will soon have a new neighborhood plan. Planners hope zoning changes will reap rewards in property values and public benefits.

How Planning Can Put the Access in Mobility
The Brookings Institution has announced a new "Moving to Access" initiative.

Families Feel Pushed Out of San Francisco
Many families cannot afford to live in San Francisco, where housing prices are high and houses fit for families raising children are hard to come by.

A Changing Neighborhood Is Not an Unstable One
Disavowing the perils of NIMY-ism. The difference between stability and sameness and allowing a city to change

Portland Bikeshare Drawing Big Crowds in First Six Months
Users of Portland's Biketown bikeshare system are choosing to rent bikes instead of driving.

One of Trump's First Actions Comes From HUD
A reduction of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) annual mortgage insurance premium rates was scheduled to take effect on January 27. One of the Trump Administration's first actions was to suspend the reduction.
Friday Eye Candy: A Mashup of New York and Paris of the 1920s
Paris and New York, seamlessly photoshopped together—that's a cause we can get behind.

Friday Fun: Bikes and Beer Take to the Water
Hold my beer while I pedal this boat around Lake St. Clair.

The Most Ambitious Land-Use Planning Effort in the U.S.—Not Where You Might Think
A 20-year, voluntary, bottom-up, large-scale, long-term planning effort in Utah has managed to bridge the divide between Mormons and non-Mormons, environmentalists and mining interests, farmers and city-dwellers.

China Cancels 103 Coal Power Plants; Still Has Too Much Coal Capacity
The cuts mean that China is on target to meet its coal power generation limit for year 2020. But even with the cancellations, China will have surplus coal power resulting in underutilization of renewable power due to preference for coal by utilities.

Myths and Realities About Cycles: Avoiding the Inevitability Trap
When we start to liken housing and neighborhood cycles to the kinds of predictable, unstoppable cycles found in nature, we may find ourselves in a dangerous trap.

Trump Budget Blueprint Would Nix Federal Transit Spending
Reports from inside the Trump transition are that the incoming administration will follow a budget blueprint laid out by the Heritage Foundation—public transit not included.

Over 275 Architects Agree: Trump Should Focus on Climate Change
An open letter to President-elect Donald Trump, signed by 276 architecture and design firms, argues that the country's new leader should build the economy by protecting the environment.

BLOG POST
Farewell to the Obama Administration
A roundup of articles summarizing the final days of the Obama Administration, as well as a peek at Planetizen's eight-year archive of President Obama's policies in the world of planning.

U.S. Housing Stock Aging Fast
Age is only a number, they say. But that number is growing for the nation's housing stock, just like for the rest of us.

The External Costs of Vacant Homes
It might seem obvious that vacant homes attract crime and other noxious elements to surrounding properties, but researchers are still working to quantify those external costs.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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.