Social / Demographics
Summit Prescribes Walking as America's "Wonder Drug"
At America's first ever "Walking Summit", physicians, planners, developers, and community activists gathered to discuss how physical activity can help heal people and communities.
Is Washington A Childless City?
Some media commentary suggests that fast-gentrifying cities such as Washington are unable to attract families. In Washington, the reality is more complex; the city's high-income neighborhoods actually gained children over the past decade.
Tougher Driving Laws Prevent Deaths, So Why Don't States Adopt Them?
A new study that compares how each of the 50 states regulates dangerous motorist behaviors has found that those with the toughest laws have the least traffic deaths. So why don't more states adopt “evidence-based policies”?
Top 10 Books - 2014
Planetizen is pleased to release its twelfth annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2013.
Undoing the Spatial Legacy of Apartheid
In manicured neighborhoods for white residents and their "shriveled twins" for black residents, South Africa's nearly 50 years of Apartheid was imprinted on the nation's built landscape. To what extent was Nelson Mandela able to right these wrongs?
Large Companies Moving Back to Cities
The movement stems from demographic changes in the work force. For companies seeking younger hires, they need to go to where they prefer to live. Suburban campuses may be replaced by urban headquarters or the addition of satellite offices in cities.
Researchers Say Two Simple Rules Can Predict Urban Growth
Is it possible to predict when and how cities will grow? A group of researchers in France say the answer is yes.
Social Impact Bonds Aim to Attract Investment in Public Health
A pilot project hopes to pioneer a new type of investment by alleviating asthma among lower-income children. Project developers hope the Fresno Asthma Impact Model could become a national model for improving health and reducing costs.
Pick to Head NYPD Seen as Street Safety Ally
With traffic deaths in New York City approaching falling homicide rates, calls for improving road safety are increasing. William Bratton, the former and future NYPD Commissioner, has signaled street safety will be a priority, exciting advocates.
Obama Takes on Inequality
In a major economic speech delivered yesterday, President Obama called America's growing inequality and lack of upward mobility “the defining challenge of our time”. Though he may have diagnosed the disease, did he prescribe an effective cure?
13 Ways to Kill Your Community
Scott Doyon reviews the book "13 Ways to Kill Your Community", by Alberta Legislative Assembly member Doug Griffiths and journalist Kelly Clemmer. In it, the authors reveal some of the "curiously recurring behaviors" that harm cities of all sizes.
Tale of Two Californias Misses the Bigger Story of Inequality
California's inequality is usually described in geographic terms that distinguishes between the state's affluent coastal areas and impoverished inland areas. When considering the cost of living, a statewide poverty crisis comes into focus.
Correlating Driving Misbehavior with Crime
Is there a correlation between running red lights and more violent crime like robberies and homicide? Gabe Klein, Chicago's distinguished outgoing transportation commissioner, thinks so. It's been dubbed "the broken windows effect."
"Distress 'Burbs" are the Hot Political Battlegrounds of Today
Forget swing states, Richard Florida says, suburbs are today’s political battlegrounds.
Looking for Your Ideal Community? Try This New Census App
Dwellr is a new app from the Census Bureau that matches the top 25 U.S. cities and towns to your lifestyle preferences. And unlike other recent federal technology rollouts, this one seems to work pretty well.
L.A. Addresses its Growing Homeless Population by Making it Harder for Them to Eat
Forced onto the street by decreased public spending, a poor economy and congested prisons, L.A.'s homeless population surged by 27 percent last year. Tensions are growing between those trying to help and those uncomfortable with the inundation.
Traversing the Border: Planning with Transnational Communities
Transnational communities transcend borders in order to act collectively, despite geographic, economic and political challenges. A new paper examines how community-based planning is scaled up and embedded in transnational processes and relationships.
San Francisco's Crisis of Affluence
The booming tech industry has brought economic development to the Bay Area. But lavish lifestyles, astronomical housing prices, and rising evictions has put the industry in the crosshairs of a very public backlash. Can the city broker peace?
Bucking National Trend, Homelessness Rises in N.Y. and L.A.
Despite a "remarkable" drop in homelessness across the U.S., sobering new data from HUD reveals that New York City's struggle with record high homelessness is getting worse, not better. Homelessness is up substantially in Los Angeles as well.
12 Bold and Bizarre Visions for Cities
There's no shortage of bold and bizarre ideas for how to make our future cities more livable, sustainable, and efficient. Whether many of these ideas are feasible is another story.
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 Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
