Where people live has been shown to relate directly to how much they exercise, as well as to excessive child obesity and the increasing incidence of diabetes. Real estate developers are being held to blame for creating auto-reliant, unhealthy towns.
"Since World War II, said Dr. Richard Jackson from his office in UC Berkeley's University Hall, the majority of communities have been built for cars instead of people. What may have been good for the cars, however, turns out to be bad for people."
"In 1973, Jackson said, 66 percent of kids either walked or biked to school. In 2000, only 13 percent did so. Perhaps the biggest reason for that drop-off has been the practice of building schools on cheap land, located farther away from housing developments."
Jackson warns that planning officials can no longer ignore the connection between environment and public health. He says health considerations should be intrinsically tied into every development plan, and real estate developers should be held to a higher standard before plans are approved.
FULL STORY: CITY SLEEKERS

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

Rethinking Computing: Researchers Tackle AI’s Energy Demands
USC researchers are reimagining how AI systems are trained and powered — through smarter algorithms, innovative hardware, and brain-inspired designs — to dramatically reduce computing’s energy footprint.

Amazon-Owned Robotaxis to Begin Testing in LA
Los Angeles will become the sixth city where Zoox is testing its autonomous vehicle technology.

New York MTA Says No More Borrowing, Will Cut Costs Instead
The agency says it won’t take out any new loans to finance its planned improvements and is finding other ways to cut costs.
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.
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