Many rankings try to tell parents where the best places are to raise their kids. But measures that focus solely on narrow criteria like safety and schools often ignore the benefits of diverse, vibrant urban environments.

All parents want safe neighborhoods, nice parks, and good schools for their kids. But, sometimes, the places that offer those amenities are often lacking in many other attributes that help kids grow up smart, healthy, and happy. The blog Family Friendly Cities takes to task some of the common measures of "family friendliness" and argues that urban environments, which might score low in many categories, are often better for kids than high-scoring suburbs.
A safe neighborhood would seem to be a prerequisite for family life. But low-crime is not always synonymous with safe. While some neighborhoods may have little violent crime, they may yet be susceptible to the violence of automobile accidents—not to mention the other health effects of auto dependence. In those cases, "what we are likely to find is that many of our beloved and highly ranked sprawl communities wouldn’t rank so highly with their frequent auto collisions, lack of sidewalks and unsafe speed limits."
Low housing costs, and, therefore, the opportunity to live in large spaces would also seem to favor families. But high transportation costs, plus long hours spent in the car, in distant, low-density suburbs can offset what may seem like major savings on rent or mortgages. Similarly, kids in cities can get their education at museums and libraries even if schools are not ranked so highly. And the opportunities for social interaction can be just as valuable for kids as they are for adults. "If we are to truly assess whether a city is child and family friendly then we must acknowledge play and access to play as essential. This includes proximity to residences and the ability to access a diverse range of opportunities for recreation and play."
FULL STORY: What the 'Best Cities for Families' Rankings Get Wrong

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service