Social / Demographics

People Get Ready: Here Come the Millennials
As they settle into early adulthood, the anticipated and far-reaching impacts of the Millennial generation are formidable. Community planners, get ready. Change is a-comin.
On the Racial Complications of Gentrification in Portland
Anna Griffin, reporting for the Oregonian, produced a pair of recent articles examining the process of gentrification in Portland—a city that recent saw gentrification controversy spark over the location of a Trader Joe’s.
Report: Low Income, Rural Drivers are Disproportionate Polluters
A new report points to the 10-15% of vehicles in California that cause half the smog caused by light duty vehicles. Rather than urban strategies such as transit or TOD, the authors support improving the vehicle retirement and replacement program.
New Documentary Miniseries Captures Chicago
The Second City does not suffer for picturesque vantage points or large personalities, making it a natural fit for CNN to study in a new documentary miniseries.
The Dichotomy of California's Frontier Myth: 'Hell-A' and Utopian San Francisco
“[There] is something about the frequency with which California and 'the future' are used synonymously,’ writes Kristin Miller. But the future looks much different when set in Southern California as compared to Northern California.
All-Ages Urbanism: 12 Ideas for More Kid-Friendly Cities
Chris Bruntlett draws on precedents from across North America to illustrate simple ways that our cities can better serve, entertain, and nurture children.

Containing the Impacts of Gentrification for Long-Time Homeowners
Given the unprecedented nature of the gentrification occurring in American cities, many cities have had to respond swiftly to the pressures of changing neighborhoods. A new article surveys cities using property tax relief to support urban homeowners.

Why Urban History Matters
Chuck Wolfe's recent reconnaissance of Edinburgh provides a foil for his rallying cry: Going forward, let’s not discount the influence of history’s recurring themes in how we redevelop the urban realm.
A New Coalition for Urban Place
Who benefits the most from synergistic growth, where the parts of the built environment are brought together to create a strong community and sense of place?
Atlanta’s Food Desert Problem
An estimated 500,000 residents of the Atlanta area live without access to grocery stores. A recent article asks the obvious question: “Why can we build multimillion-dollar highway systems and multibillion-dollar stadiums but not more grocery stores?"
A Guide to Organizations for Change—San Francisco Edition
The conversation about San Francisco has been dominated recently by housing, so maybe you forgot that San Francisco has a tradition of leading on social causes. Josh Wilson recently created a list for navigating the city like a radical.
From Google Buses to Google Youth Muni Passes
Turns out all those protests against the ubiquitous Google (and other tech) luxury buses that often crowd out S.F. Muni (public) buses have contributed to a show of good will to public transit in the form of a $6.8 million gift to fund youth passes.

Ranking the Top Movies About Urbanism
The Oscars are this weekend, so its an appropriate time to turn to movie magic as a powerful force for how American’s perceive environments—from rural to urban and everything between.

America’s Fastest-Growing Cities
Forbes recently released its annual list of America’s Fastest-Growing Cities. The list considers both population and economy.
Seattle's Growth Patterns Buck Century-Long Trend
According to Census data, the city of Seattle's population is growing faster than its King County suburbs—for the first time since 1910.
Philadelphia’s Middle Class—Down But Not Out
A new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts tracks the demographics of Philadelphia between 1970 and 2010. Overall, middle class residents left the city during those decades, but there are reasons for optimism regarding the prosperity of the city.
Challenging 'Mountain Urbanism, Mountain Modernism'
In a recent editorial, Joe Andrade questions the assumptions underlying the Salt Lake City region's approach to population growth.

Millennials Moving to Cities; Older Generations Staying Put
Millennials are moving to cities around the country in era-defining numbers but so far, Generation X and Baby Boomers are mostly staying put. Is the millennial in-migration to cities a flash in the pan?
Mapping Life Expectancies in the World’s Cities
“While average life expectancy for many cities far outstrips the non-urban regions of their country, there are others such as Johannesburg where it comes in way below,” according to an interactive feature on the Guardian’s Data Blog.
How Public Space Enables, or Prohibits, Protest
With the provocative title “A Dictator’s Guide to Urban Design,” a recent article in The Atlantic examines the revolutionary capacity of public squares like Ukraine’s Independence Square.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont