The case of Buchanan v. Warley, decided in 1916, set an important precedent: it forbade zoning restrictions based on race.
Leonardo Vasquez, a professor at Rutgers University, says he isn't surprised if you've never heard of the case:
"The histories of urban planning we learn in school often tell an an untarnished story of early planners bringing order to the chaos of the early 20th century. Buchanan v. Warley reminds us that while land use regulations were doing good in some cities, they were also being used to deny African-Americans in the south (and Chinese-Americans in California) full and fair rights and opportunities."
The case happened in Louisville, Kentucky. The city created an ordinance that prevented African-Americans from moving into neighborhoods that were majority White, and vice-versa. Legal action ensued, as Vasquez documents.
Read the full story: Buchanan v. Warley reveals the double-edged sword of zoning
HUD to Investigate Minneapolis Over Allegations of ‘Racial and Ethnic Favoritism’ in Housing Policy
The Trump administration says the city’s housing policies and support of ‘cultural districts’ are racially discriminatory, while city leaders call the investigation politically motivated.
Report: How Outdated Zoning Rules Still Shape Boston
Classist and racist zoning decisions from decades past reverberate in today’s neighborhoods.
The Pseudoscientific Foundations of Racist Planning Practices
Racist and colonialist narratives in old geography textbooks help explain the prevalence of segregationist and discriminatory policies and other nasty planning practices. It’s time to understand and reconcile.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Non-stop party: Chicago voters weigh permanent festival grounds
A stable place for bleachers, stages and drainage may streamline the setup and teardown of large events.
Metra may invest $9.1 billion in regional rail
The agency released a draft of a study examining potential ways to offer more frequent train service.
California city breaks ground on transit connector
The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority