An article details the nascent successes of an innovative program by Washington, D.C. to fund green infrastructure improvements to its stormwater and wastewater systems.
Julian Spector details the ongoing work in Washington, D.C. to overhaul the city's stormwater and wastewater systems with green infrastructure, such as "rain gardens, green roofs, permeable surfaces, and leafy drainage ditches known as bioswales that filter and store extra rainwater…"
Critical to the effort, and the focus of Spector's coverage, is the funding mechanism created by the District Department of Energy and Environment, namely a retention credit systemthat establishes a market for stormwater retention. The article details the challenges in establishing a market for stormwater retention and some of the solutions both government agencies and the private sector have found for those challenges since 2014, when trading started. Especially important in scaling up the program has been a $1.7 million investment by Prudential that will allow District Stormwater to "install green infrastructure in places deemed most ecologically beneficial, and then sell the credits." Spector adds, "If it succeeds in turning a profit, Prudential will recoup its investment, plus interest, and the approach could be considered for other cities…"
FULL STORY: Turning Stormwater Runoff Into Everyone's Business

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?

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont