Social / Demographics

Are Hyper-Urbanizing Countries Experiencing Lower Vaccination Levels?

Urbanization may turn conventional thinking about vaccinations on its head, at least in India.

June 17, 2014 - The Times Of India

Street Art Tells the Other Side of the World Cup Story

In the many cities hosting the month-long FIFA World Cup tournament, street artists share their criticisms in vibrant, powerful murals located in public spaces.

June 16, 2014 - The Guardian

Artists Feel Gentrification Pressure in Bushwick

The Brooklyn Brief attended the recent eighth edition oft the Bushwick Open Studios annual art event. There the blog heard from artists concerned about the growing expenses of living in the neighborhood.

June 14, 2014 - Brooklyn Brief

Texas State Capitol building

The End of 'Slackerdom' in Austin (or Pittsburgh Rich vs. New York Poor)

Yes, that's a lot of cities in one headline. But recent urbanism media has included a lot of writers lamenting the rising cost of living in formerly bohemian locales while noticing former bohemians moving to more affordable regions.

June 12, 2014 - Austin American-Statesman

The Demographics of Pedestrian Safety

While pedestrian safety affects all areas, it disproportionately affects cities with large minority populations because they are more likely to walk than whites. Santa Ana, Calif. a majority "minority" city, is taking steps to make walking safer.

June 11, 2014 - Aljazeera America

Busy Crossing Street

Unsafe Streets: Report Finds Pervasive Harassment on U.S. Streets

A new report, the first of its kind, documents the pervasive harassment experienced by women, and many men, of all races, income levels, sexual orientations, and geographic locations. The report identifies the situation as an issue of human rights.

June 10, 2014 - The Washington Post

New Orleans Mardi Gras

How Drinking in New Orleans Debunks Assumptions about Public Behavior

An out-of-towner's visit to New Orleans unravels imposed assumptions about conduct in public places.

June 10, 2014 - Pacific Standard

Buffalo Light Rail

Urbanists Soak Up Buffalo: PlaceMakers Empty Their Notebooks

Many of you attended CNU in Buffalo last week, but for those of you who couldn't make it, here's a quick collection of a few of the ideas shared.

June 9, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Addressing the Challenges of Houston's Exceptional Growth

Houston's incredible rate of growth since 2000 has created a demographic and economic milieu that presents a unique set of challenges, and potential, that is often ignored by federal policies.

June 9, 2014 - Urban Institute

Homeland Security Data Reveals the Origins and New Homes of Naturalized Citizens

Dara Lind provides insight on new data on U.S. naturalizations released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In all, 779,929 immigrants became U.S. citizens in 2013.

June 9, 2014 - Vox

Joel Kotkin Reveals the Secrets of Cleveland's Surprising Success

Joel Kotkin picks up on the findings of a study released in March from Cleveland State University about the city's net increase in young, well-educated population and recommends a regional approach to ensuring that the growth sticks.

June 6, 2014 - Forbes

How to Build Grassroots Support for Urbanism

Andrew Keatts interviews Benjamin Ross, of Maryland's Purple Line advocacy fame, about what it takes to build local support for transit and urban design.

June 5, 2014 - Voice of San Diego

'Seattle's Greatest Social and Economic Experiment Is about to Begin'

That's how USA Today reporter John Bacon concluded his video on the Seattle City Council's historic vote to increase the city minimum wage to $15/hour in 3-7 years depending on the business. The outcome was never in doubt due to prior deliberations.

June 4, 2014 - USA Today

Runners in D.C.

Ranking the Health and Fitness of Metro Areas (Infrastructure Matters)

Melanie Haiken shares insight into the findings of the American Fitness Index (AFI), which assesses the "Health and Community Fitness Status of the 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas."

June 4, 2014 - Forbes

Shepard Fairey

How 'Hipster Economics' Romanticizes Blight and Compounds Inequality

A recent article refutes arguments used to defend gentrification, and in so doing identifies a culprit in glossing over the negative effects of displacement in areas both urban and suburban: hipster economics.

June 3, 2014 - Al Jazeera

Cincinnati Sign

Life as a 'Hipster Homesteader' in Cincinnati

A writer examines what it's like to live in the suburbs and work in the city of Cincinnati—to "exist in the physical and social margins" yet still play an active role in shaping the city's identity.

June 2, 2014 - Belt Magazine

Seattle & Mt. Rainier

Is Big City Growth Here to Stay?

In this opinion piece, Brookings demographer William H. Frey looks at three years of census data and discusses whether urban growth will stay through the decade or whether the U.S. will return to its traditional, post-War suburban growth patterns.

June 2, 2014 - Brookings

Community Gardens as Harbingers of Gentrification

Lauren Markham examines the value of community gardens to the bottom lines of developers—because one person's blighted back yard can easily become another person's veggie garden marketing pitch.

May 30, 2014 - The New Yorker

Homeless Camp

Mapping America's Homeless Populations

The Committee to End Homelessness in King County produced a helpful visualization tool that compares the size of homeless populations around the country as well as the type of housing support they receive.

May 29, 2014 - Fast Co.Exist

Are Helicopter Parents Destroying Mobility for Young Americans?

A recent post by Paul Mackie takes inspiration from a new book called "It's Complicated" to explore how parents might be driving teens further into technology-enabled isolation and torpidity.

May 29, 2014 - Mobility Lab

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.