Social / Demographics

The Wisdom and the Hysteria
Opposition to NYC's bike infrastructure improvements was loud, emotional, and ultimately ineffective. But can planners like Janette Sadik-Khan learn from seemingly unhinged opponents? Planetizen Blogger Josh Stephens decided to ask.

APA Poll Finds Millennials and Boomers 'Investing in Place'
During the American Planning Association's (APA) 2014 National Planning Conference in Atlanta, the APA announced findings from a national opinion survey that shows a clear interest in place-making among the concerns of Americans of all ages.
Honolulu—Nation's Most Expensive Metro Area
Using a metric called "regional price parity," the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that urban areas are the most expensive places in the country. Honolulu, Hawaii rates as the most expensive metro area in the country.
Maintaining Social Mobility Amid Salt Lake City's Changing Demographics
A study released in 2013 ranked Sat Lake City fifth in upward mobility, but critics say that the study reflected an earlier era. Now with changing demographics, the Salt Lake is redoubling efforts to maintain opportunities for all of its citizens.
The Texas Miracle: Looking Beyond the Impressive Growth Numbers
Texas is booming—its growth in people and jobs puts it in a league of its own. But another set of growth data pales by comparison: Infrastructure, particularly in the water and transportation needed to accommodate the growth, is woefully lacking.
New Seattle Bus Funding Initiative Addresses City-Suburb Split
It's a pattern seen as recently as two years ago in metro Atlanta: a crucial transit measure wins in the central city but dies in the more populous suburbs. The fix is to craft a city-only transit initiative—just what advocates in Seattle will do.
New AARP Study Finds Older Americans Redefining 'Livable'
"People in the United States are getting older. But increasingly, they don't want to live in some old folks' community," writes Sarah Goodyear. As the number of Americans over 65 grows, concepts like aging in place are gaining new pertinence.

Interdisciplinarity and the Equitable City
On Urban-Think Tank, a design firm working at the intersection of architecture and urbanism to further environmental justice.

Ecocity versus Duplicity
If certain elements of masterplanning are not carefully chosen—and their impacts not carefully explained to final decision makers—then there runs great risk that the cities we design from scratch perform worse than the cities we already have.
How the Sharing Economy Brings Strangers Together
Sharing economy companies encourage personal interactions to improve customer satisfaction and trust among users.
Transportation Considerations for Aging Populations
An article on PlannersWeb details the considerations relevant to the needs of people over 65, who are growing more multi-modal and car-independent every year.

What Millennials Want: A Multi-Modal City
A recent study finds evidence of an overwhelming desire by Millennials to live multi-modal, car-lite lifestyles. They're even prepared to move to find what they want.
'A Plan for a Healthy Los Angeles' Elevates Public Health Among Planning Priorities
Available for public comment until May 13, Los Angeles is considering a new Health and Wellness Element for its General Plan, called “A Plan for a Healthy Los Angeles.” It’s an ambitious document for a large and diverse city.

Which Cities Get to Work Early (or Late)?
According to new analysis by Nate Silver, New York City might be more aptly described as the city that sleeps in.

Two Kinds of Migration Drive Urban Growth
A new post by Richard Florida distinguished between the two different types of migration—domestic and international—driving the influx of residents in urban centers around the country.

Finding Authenticity
The coveted creative class is in search of neighborhoods and communities with lots of character. Why are such places so hard to find? Maybe it is because we are trying too hard.

The Urban Reordering: Can the United States Make it Stick?
The trend toward the urban has been documented from every possible angle, but a recent op-ed wonders whether it will be possible for the federal government to make a course correction that ceases the endless subsidies for the suburbs.
Study Maps the Spatial Patterns of U.S. Environmental Injustice
A new study by researchers from the University of Minnesota presents a sweeping portrait of trends in exposure to nitrogen dioxide across the United States.

Is it a Suburban Exodus Yet?
A new report finds that suburban areas are losing residents to urban areas like New York City and Washington D.C., even well past the point when people would have traditionally made the choice to return to the suburbs.
Is Cleveland Too Negative?
A recent opinion article by Richey Piiparinen of the Center for Population Dynamics at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University says “Cleveland's negativity is a challenge to the city's future.”
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.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions