Social / Demographics

Toronto Is the Future
As part of "Guardian Canada" week, an author writes a paean to benefits of a growing, forward looking, diverse city.

Suburbs Are Failing the Elderly
Around two-thirds of Baby Boomers in metropolitan areas live in the suburbs. But as they age, suburbia seems less and less hospitable.
A Summary of CNU24 Detroit
Miss the Congress for the New Urbanism in Detroit? Hazel Borys shares some highlights, with help from Twitter urbanists.

The Real Reasons Affordable Housing Isn't Being Built in California
The policy tools used to address our nation's housing shortfall often seem to worsen the problem. But this is because they ignore the underlying infrastructure and financing to support growth.

2015 Road Toll: 35,200 Fatalities
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released preliminary fatality estimates for 2015. Deaths jumped by 2,525, an increase of 7.7 percent over 2014. Pedestrians and bicyclists saw the biggest increases.

New Data on the Shift to Cities
It's no secret that urban centers are doing better today than they were 30 years ago. New FHFA data on housing prices confirms the trend and suggests that a changing environment (as opposed to changing preferences) account for it.

Riding the Bus in Portland: An Essay
Blogger and transit consultant Jarrett Walker paints a picture of Portland's Line 75, a workaday bus serving urban neighborhoods outside downtown. His reflections on radial and orbital journeys are worth a read.

The 3 Most Common Community Engagement Mistakes
Planners, like any other professionals, live in a kind of bubble. Those charged with dealing with the public run the risk of expecting too much from residents as they design community engagement activities. Here are some of the most common mistakes.

Is New York Distributing Its Public Plazas Equally?
An analysis of the geographic distribution of New York's new public plazas sought to determine if the program was meeting one of its stated goals: providing access to public plazas for low- and moderate-income households.

Toward an Equitable Bikeshare System
The Better Bike Share Conference convened in Philadelphia on June 22-24, 2016. Attendees gathered to find solutions for challenges of equity, social justice, and mobility in the country's emerging bikeshare infrastructure.

More Residents and Workers Using Fewer Parking Spaces in Philly's Center City
The findings of a report on changes occurring in Philadelphia Center City finds more residents and workers walking, biking, and taking transit. (Thankfully, they aren't all looking for parking every day.)

National Initiative to Address Structural Racism in Cities
Five U.S. cities will examine how their government operations impact people of color, and come up with solutions to advance racial equity.

Debate: Why Did Trams Die in the 20th Century?
A Toronto professor pushes against Christian Wolmar's assertion that the tram's demise can be connected to anti-worker policy. For one thing, trams never went away in some cities.

Energy Agency Totals Annual Death Toll from Air Pollution at 6.5 Million
The study by the Paris-based International Energy Agency finds a direct connection to the energy industry. Credit goes to IEA executive director Fatih Birol for expanding the organization's mission beyond its traditional purpose, energy security.

What 6,000 Years of Population Data Looks Like
We can now watch 6,000 years of urban settlements and movements unfold on our computer screens.

Prioritizing Park Equity in Planning and Policy
The APA blog issues a call to action to promote park equity.

Glasgow's High Mortality Rate and a History of Poor Planning
Decades of poor urban planning and policy decisions have contributed to "the Glasgow Effect," which has seen higher rates of mortality for Glaswegians compared to similar de-industrialized cities.

Mapping The Movement of *Some* Millennials
The in-migration of Millennials is largely driving the changes that American cities are going through. More specifically, it is the ones with college degrees who are driving the change. Where are they moving, and what is their effect?

Voters to Decide Future of San Francisco Homeless Tent Encampments
Unable to pass the measure themselves, four San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a ballot measure for November that would let voters decide on the removal of tent encampments in the city providing that housing is offered.

Metropolitan Corridors Absorb Rural Counties
As urban economies continue their upward trajectory, residents of counties once considered rural are commuting to cities. This has had both negative and positive effects on the communities in question.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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