A familiar argument of suburban apologists is that people prefer suburban environments over urban environments. Joe Cortright reminds us, however, that "revealed preference" doesn't tell the whole story.

"One of the chief arguments in favor of the suburbs is simply that that is where millions and millions of people actually live," according to an article by Joe Cortright that sets out to debunk that claim.
The counterargument, of course, is that people can only choose from among the options presented to them. And the options for most people are not evenly split between cities and suburbs, for a variety of reasons, including the subsidization of highways and parking, school policies, and the continuing legacies of racism, redlining, and segregation. One of the biggest reasons, of course, is restrictive zoning, which prohibits the construction of new urban neighborhoods all over the country.
Cortright wants to consider whether zoning really actually acts as a constraint on more compact, urban housing by turning to the work of Jonathan Levine and detailed in the book Zoned Out. Cortright wants to get to the bottom of the issue about whether or not there is pent up demand in the market for walkable urban places, and then whether land use regulations make it impossible to build the supply to meet that demand. The point made originally by Levine and explained here again by Cortright: it's true that in some places there is a shortage of cities and an overabundance of suburban-style house. In other metropolitan areas, there's a shortage of all kinds of housing.
FULL STORY: The myth of revealed preference for suburbs

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.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
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 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