Social / Demographics
Should Your City Ban Fluoride? Portland Just Did, Again
Although a growing list of communities (of which Portland is the largest) have banned the addition of fluoride to tap water, such places are doing so against the recommendations of the medical establishment. What's driving the backlash?
Can Signage Change Perceptions About Disabilities?
With New York City's embrace, the dream of revamping the iconic blue-and-white handicapped symbol is becoming a reality. As NYC adopts "a more active representation of people with physical limitations," activists hope the change has a broader effect.
Take Your Kids to the Park and Leave Them There...Seriously
Apologies for being a little late on this one, but apparently last Saturday was the fourth annual 'Take Our Children to the Park...and Leave Them There Day.' Sounds crazy right? Lenore Skenazy argues why it may be the smartest thing you do all week.
Poverty's Sprawling Tentacles
From 2000-2011 the number of poor Americans living in the suburbs increased at a rate double that of the country's cities. The result is that more poor people now live in the suburbs than in cities. A new book examines this troubling trend.
In America's Cities, the Better-Off Trade Retail for Restaurants
The replacement of retail establishments with restaurants in America’s urban centers has a demographic slant.
Frightful City Ranking of the Week: Most Dog Attacks
Who else but the U.S. Postal Service would be able to rank America's worst cities for dog attacks? Just in time for National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the USPS has released the "Fiscal Year 2012 U.S. Postal Service Dog Attack City Ranking."
Where in America is it Easiest to Bike to Work?
Today, the U.S. is celebrating Bike to Work Day. With increasing investment in bike infrastructure across the country, cycling is becoming a commuting option for more and more workers. Richard Florida looks at the places where it's easiest.
Can a New Streetscape Help Heal Syracuse's Low-Income Near Westside?
The winners of a competition to rethink the streetscape along 5 blocks of Syracuse's Near Westside hope to "get people out on their feet" and improve public health in the historically low-income neighborhood.
In 'Historic Shift', America's Rural Population Declines for the First Time
While the percentage of American's living outside of urban areas has been declining for some time, overall rural population loss has occurred for the first time since the Census began keeping track, reports the USDA's Economic Research Service.
Texting Overtakes Drinking as Cause for Teen Driving Deaths
A new study reveals that texting while driving causes more injuries and fatalities among teens in the U.S. every year than drunk driving. Many states still allow drivers to text.
MBE, WBE, DBE: Why Are Such Programs Often Rife with Fraud?
Government contracting requirements that encourage the growth of minority-owned businesses are laudable, says Patrick Kerkstra, but such programs are rife with abuse. What makes them so susceptible to fraud and what can be done?
In Battle for Disposable Income, Dining Out Devours the Competition
For Americans under 34, the amount of money spent dining out has increased by more than 20% over the last decade; as the recording industry has been in a tailspin. In the battle to earn urbanites' dollars, food purveyors are the new rock stars.
Changing the Water in the Fish Tank
David Foster Wallace's commencement speech, now a viral video, misses an essential truth.
Architecture's Identity Problem
The recent kerfuffle over Denise Scott Brown’s non-receipt of the Pritzker Prize is just a symptom of a larger problem within the field of architecture, says Sam Lubell. The poor rate of diversity among practitioners reduces its relevance.
The Three Elements That Attract People to Place
Addressing Minneapolis business leaders last week, Katherine Loflin, lead consultant to the Knight Foundation's Soul of the Community Project, explained the key factors that drive people's attachment to a city and how to lure young professionals.
Why Pedestrian Safety is a Social Justice Issue
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control analyzing America's last decade of traffic-related pedestrian deaths reveals the inequitable impacts of the country's "public health epidemic."
Culture Influences Pedestrian Behavior at Crosswalks, Study Says
The results of a recent study of pedestrian road crossing behavior suggests that the risks we take as walkers depend largely on our cultural context.
Asia's Emergence in One Stunning Map
A simple graphic posted to Reddit recently shows that more than half of the world's total population resides within a circle drawn over Asia. For Matthew Yglesias, it "underscores the fundamental truth of 21st-century economics."
What's in a Name? Los Angeles Embraces Its Hispanic Heritage
As Midwesterners flocked to Southern California in the first decades of the last century, place names associated with the region's Spanish settlers were anglicized. A return to proper pronunciations reflects the area's changing demographics.
The Ominous Side of America's Urban Comeback
"The comeback of the urban core is a striking reversal of long-term trends," proclaims Richard Florida. Although this rebound is good for urban growth and prosperity, it hasn't been able to solve enduring problems of poverty and disadvantage.
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
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
