David Baker Architects latest public housing project in Oakland, California shows that high-density living can be attractive and feature a variety of housing types, writes Allison Arieff.
Arieff writes that "[d]ense urban areas don't have to be all highrises. With a mix of housing types, Oakland, California's new Tassafaronga Village contains 33 dwellings per acre, making it five times as dense as the average American City."
Baker explains that when he approaches a project where the goal is to achieve a dense, urban development, he eschews the standard measure of "dwelling units per acre":
"The San Francisco-based architect opts instead for 'people per square mile,' a concept he was first was exposed to by a Canadian landscape architecture professor who presented various green districts in British Columbia."
FULL STORY: Designing for Density Doesn't Have to Be Ugly, or Scary

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions