Howard Husock reads two new books on Jane Jacobs, which he says reveal the unexplored significance of Jacob's activist side, opening the doors to protesting the entire activity of city planning.
"Though Jacobs's ideas were lobbed like grenades from outside her era's planning and architecture establishment-she had no formal training in either-her defense of cities' apparent disorder has become more widely accepted."
"It's become too easy to stop new projects-often with the tactics Jacobs pioneered, but without any countervailing theory of how cities should work, only a fear of change and a desire to protect special interests at the public's expense."
FULL STORY: Jane Jacobs’s Legacy
Jane Jacobs's Legacy: 2016 Edition
New York magazine offers a long reflection on the shifting lessons offered by Jane Jacobs after a year of new books and a re-emergence into the public eye.
Enough With the 'Enough with Jane Jacobs' Already!
Was Jane Jacobs a NIMBY? Did she despise density? These sort of reevaluations of Jacobs' legacy are hot at the moment. Roberta Brandes Gratz explains why the naysayers are off base.
NYC's Link5G Towers Face Neighborhood Opposition
More than 2,000 32-foot towers are coming to New York City street corners to improve 5G connectivity throughout the city, and residents aren’t happy, citing incompatible design and visual distraction as a threat to safety.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.
Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie