It's too late to save the lives of thousands in Nepal, but can other cities in South Asia and around the world learn from the mistakes of unplanned growth before another catastrophic event?
Tanvi Misra introduces an article about the devastation in Kathmandu, Nepal, by sharing images and eyewitness reports that describe the rubble that has become of the city that existed prior to the April 25, 2015 earthquake.
The earthquake was inevitable, writes Misra, but "haphazard urbanization around the Kathmandu Valley amplified the fatal force of the disaster." A 2013 World Bank report proved prescient on the risk facing Kathmandu, notes Misra, predicting that uplanned development had led to "uncontrolled sprawl; irregular, substandard, and inaccessible housing development; loss of open space, and decreased livability" that left the city of Kathmandu one of the "most earthquake-vulnerable cities in the world."
Misra goes on to note the lesson for other cities, including New Delhi in India, could face an even greater loss of life for similar reasons in the likely event of an earthquake of similar size.
FULL STORY: How Urban Planning Failed Kathmandu
Los Angeles County the Riskiest Place in the U.S., FEMA Says
The new National Risk Index calculates the brutal equations of natural disasters.
Five Years of 100 Resilient Cities
It's been five years since the Rockefeller Foundation launched the 100 Resilient Cities initiative. A new analysis by the Urban Institute evaluates the accomplishments of 100 Resilient Cities so far.
Want an Earthquake Warning? There's an App for That
A new earthquake warning system is in place in the city of Los Angeles.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health
A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.
Report Outlines Strategies for Resilient Wildfire Recovery in LA
Project Recovery offers a roadmap for rebuilding more sustainable and climate-resilient communities after wildfires and other disasters.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland