Social / Demographics

Taking Urban Agriculture For What It Is
New research suggests urban agriculture’s biggest yields are social, cultural, and educational.

Conceptual Shift: New York's Growing Again
For decades, New York City's boom times lay deep in the past. Now that the city's growing again, Aaron Renn says New York may need to take cues from the Sun Belt, of all places.

London's New Mayor Finds Culture and Heritage in City's Nightlife
London's new Mayor Sadiq Khan joins a growing list of mayors who have become ardent advocates for their city's nightclubs.

Cities as Playgrounds...For Children
Even when urban centers are losing families, this trend does not necessarily apply to rich areas near downtown.

Gender Neutral Bathrooms Designs Respond to Controversial North Carolina Law
While the Justice Department and North Carolina duke it out over proper access to bathrooms, many places, including the White House, have designed gender-neutral bathrooms that address many of the problems associated with sex-segregated bathrooms.

The 'Myth' of Family Farms
Historian Gabriel Rosenberg challenges romanticism in the history of family farms in the US.
Is a Meritocracy Really What We Want?
At first glance, a meritocratic vision is morally compelling, but upon closer scrutiny, its pursuit ends up legitimizing—and thus reinforcing—the very social and economic inequality it purports to rectify.

Leaving Chicago
Why are folks fleeing from the city and the state in record numbers? Is domestic migration to blame for the Chicago region's population loss last year of over 6,000 and the state's loss of over 22,000 people?

The Media Attacks Urbanism
A recent Newsweek article on urbanism is chock-full of nonsense.

Helping Beloved Non-Landmarks Weather Gentrification in San Francisco
San Francisco is starting a program to recognize and protect long-standing local businesses based on their community value, not architectural significance.

Does Los Angeles Have What It Takes To Be a Leader for 21st Century Metropolises?
Brookings’ Bruce Katz explains how municipalities like Los Angeles can create thousands of jobs in advanced manufacturing through connecting planning, industry, innovation, and infrastructure efforts.

Chicago's Transit Oriented Developments Becoming More Affluent
The city of Chicago is focusing its development incentives around transit stations, but the people moving into those neighborhoods tend to be wealthier than previous residents.

DataUSA: An Intuitive Tool for Public Data
A collaboration between Deloitte, Datawheel, and MIT has produced an intuitive aesthetically-pleasing gathering point for public data in the United States. Specific locations and industries boast easy-to-read profiles.
Granny Flats a Symptom of L.A.'s 'Broken' Planning Process
Building permits for Accessory Dwelling Units have been stopped by court order in Los Angeles.

'Normal America' According to Demographics
The common perception of everyday America as a land of small towns and white faces doesn't reflect the current reality. Demographic analysis reveals "normal America" in cities like New Haven and Tampa.

Righting Old Wrongs: U.S. DOT Goes from Urban Renewal to Freeway Removal
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx sees rebuilding America's ailing infrastructure as an opportunity to "right past wrongs," particularly with 1950s and 1960s-era freeways that bisected communities. NPR and Streetsblog describe the new initiative.

How Planning Fails to Make Women-Friendly Urban Places
Planning decisions overwhelmingly don't address women's needs, according to an article in The Huffington Post.

Millennials Now Greater Than Baby Boomers
According to U.S. Census data released this month, Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers, and there are only more Millennials on the way.

Researchers Build Model for Predicting Gentrification
A team of researchers in London believes it can predict future gentrification. The model is built on evidence of social diversity, which is often thought of as a positive outcome.

Barriers to Integration Come Down Slowly in Wealthy, White Suburban Enclaves
Beware of possible code words like "character" and "flavor" when it comes to community resistance to multifamily housing or increased density. Case in point, Garden City, Long Island.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont