February Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

Federal funding freezes and firings continue to roil agencies that address housing, public lands, and transportation. A program that supported a nationwide EV charging network was suspended, while mass layoffs at national parks have recreation officials concerned about park safety and access during the upcoming busy season, while park-adjacent communities could stand to lose billions in tourism revenue. Planetizen blogger Todd Litman offers some advice on how to continue doing good work as a planner when politics get in the way of effective policy. And the planning world lost a beloved figure in Donald Shoup, the dynamic “parking guru” that transformed the way people think about parking and public space.

The full list of February’s most-read stories:

1. Colorado Bill Would Legalize Housing ‘In God’s Backyard’

A proposed bill would let churches and religious institutions build housing on their properties as part of a growing zoning reform movement.

2. Federal EV Charging Program Suspended

The new administration wants to end an initiative to fund a nationwide EV charging network focused on major freeways.

3. Housing Measure Wins in Seattle Special Election

Voters approved a new tax that is expected to generate roughly $50 million annually for affordable housing projects.

4. Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Former UCLA professor and Planetizen Courses instructor Donald Shoup helped planners understand the value of parking and curb management, always remaining a passionate advocate for walkable, livable cities.

5. Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

How can planners execute good policy under questionable regimes?

6. Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto

In its short lifespan, the infamous truck has become much more deadly than one of automotive history’s most famous failures.

7. New Intercity Bus Service Will Connect Texas Cities

A charter bus company will start offering trips between Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, with plans to expand to more routes.

8. National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions

The firing of thousands of National Park Service workers will have rippling negative effects throughout the communities that depend on them for jobs and tourism revenue.

9. DOT Memo Directs Transportation Funding to Communities With Higher Marriage and Birth Rates, Compliance with Immigration Officials and No Mask Mandates

The Trump administration’s DOT says it will tie funding to cooperation with immigration enforcement and prohibits mask or vaccine mandates.

10. Washington State E-Bike Rebate Set to Launch in April

Washington joins a growing number of states helping to offset the purchase of electric bikes, offering eligible residents rebates of up to $1,200.