North America

Upzoning Affordability Impacts: The Latest Research
There are new controversies concerning how upzoning affects housing supply and affordability, and new research to help planners understand these issues.

Study: Office Conversions One-Third More Affordable Than New Housing
Where conditions are right for office-to-residential adaptive reuse, projects can be completed faster and at a significantly lower cost than new construction.

Could an ‘Urban Innovation Lab’ Spur Downtown Revitalization?
In his fifth article for GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe asks whether an onsite “living lab” could spur more entrepreneurship and impact downtown regeneration in Seattle.

The Materials Movement: Advancing Low-Carbon, Healthy Materials for Sustainable Communities
Every component of a building, from the concrete foundation to the paint on the walls, has an impact on human health, the climate, and ecosystems around the globe. Building materials—once overlooked in real estate’s sustainability efforts—are now bei

Revisiting ‘Third Places’ as a Pandemic Recovery Tool
In Chuck Wolfe's latest piece on downtown recovery for GeekWire, he proposes revisiting a multifaceted ‘third place’ agenda as a focus for downtown recovery.

Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.

Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws
‘Free’ employee parking increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

Building Community With Cohousing
Developers and buyers create new models for housing that hold the promise of a more environmentally friendly, connected, and multigenerational way of living.

Carzilla: How Huge SUVs and Trucks Hurt Pedestrians and Walkable Communities
Ever wonder where the supersizing of cars is going to end? Kaid Benfield dives deep into the subject and suggests five actions we can take to get to a safer spot in the road.

The City Beyond Amazon's ‘Great Return’
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe explains how, as the Amazon (and other) “Great Returns” to the office unfold, it's essential to dig deeper.

Dramatic Decline in New EV Models to Qualify for Federal Tax Credit
The Treasury Department released long-awaited rules required by the historic Inflation Reduction Action on March 31 that will determine which electric vehicle models purchased after April 17 will qualify for a federal credit up to $7,500.

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: Major Short Sell Risk
Policy makers dealing with housing issues aren't fully absorbing the numbers. In the second of a series on the subject, Ben Brown and Dr. Arthur C. Nelson help clarify what's going on and what we can do about it.

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.

Help! Not Police! Crisis Responses That Avert Police Calls
Cities, court systems, citizen groups, and affordable housing operators are crafting ways of responding to emergencies that reduce the risk of negative police interactions.

Something Old, Something New: Biden’s Housing Plan
President Biden’s Housing Supply Action Plan is a catchall of existing proposals, tiny tweaks, and things Congress would have to fund—plus a few genuinely interesting administrative moves. Here’s the rundown.

The Sound of Music City: Orange, NJ
Music naturally brings people together. In Orange, New Jersey, organizers show how “creative placekeeping” finds its strength in the relationships that are formed within the community.

Christopher Alexander, Influential Author of "A Pattern Language," Passes Away at 85
Christopher Alexander died on March 17, leaving behind a towering legacy of influence on the fields of architecture, planning, and urban design.

Building Up the 'Zoning Buffer' to Increase Housing Supply Without Raising Land Values
New research helps explain why urban housing prices are escalating and how communities can increase affordability. It emphasizes the need to upzone sufficient urban land to create a large competitive market for parcels ready for infill development.

Evaluating Transportation Equity: ITE Quickbite
This short new publication by the Institute of Transportation Engineers provides an overview of key transportation equity concepts and describes practical ways to incorporate equity analysis into planning.
Pagination
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions