Social / Demographics

America's Happiest States

Gallup and Healthways have released their annual state-by-state assessment of America's well being. For the fourth consecutive year, Hawaii tops the list.

March 7, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Healthy by Design: On the Growth of Health Impact Assessments

Joe Gose examines the growing use of health impact assessments to guide decision-making through a case study from the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood near downtown Denver.

March 6, 2013 - The New York Times

Home For Sale Signs

The Next Housing Crisis Isn't Far Off

As aging baby boomers enter retirement and seek to downsize from their large single-family homes (the "great senior sell-off") they'll find a housing market increasingly uninterested in what they're selling, says researcher Arthur C. Nelson.

March 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

America's Changing Commuting Patterns

A new report out from the Census Bureau paints a comprehensive picture of commuting in the United States. Average commute times remain steady, but the most significant change may be in the percentage of people working from home at least once a week.

March 5, 2013 - The Washington Post

In Lagos, Creating Homeless is a Sign of Progress

Adam Nossiter reports on the latest episode in Lagos's quest to become a "premier business center" - the demolition of the Badia East slum, which instantly left 10,000 residents homeless.

March 4, 2013 - The New York Times

Meet Mexico City's Pedestrian Protecting Superhero

Sarah Goodyear introduces us to Peatónito, the masked Lucha Libre inspired defender of pedestrians.

March 2, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Sitting at Cubicles

Sitting Is the New Smoking; Can Offices Adapt?

A presentation at this week's TED conference in Long Beach by business writer Nilofer Merchant explored the "quiet crisis of sore butts," and the sobering public health impacts, reports Ryan Tate.

February 28, 2013 - Wired

New Report Challenges 'Eyes on the Street' Concept

In the fifty years since Jane Jacobs introduced the "eyes on the street" theory, it's become a commonly accepted conceit that a mix of use reduces crime. A new study calls that theory into question.

February 28, 2013 - Next City

Ironies and Oddities of History's 'Future Cities'

Brady Dale provides a list of quirky trivia (taken from the new book "A History of Future Cities") about the forward-looking creation of four mega-cities: Shanghai, Bombay, St. Petersburg and Dubai.

February 27, 2013 - Next City

The Importance of Making Cities Places of Belonging

Mumbai architect Pallavi Shrivastava reflects on the impact that the inaccessibility of the city has on the status of women in society and their ability to shape the future of the places in which they live.

February 27, 2013 - The Global Urbanist

Making Markets More Accessible to Low-Income Communities

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) has released the results of a new study aimed at understanding how to "get more healthy food into...communities through farmers markets."

February 25, 2013 - PPS Placemaking Blog

La City Hall Cycling

L.A. Looks to Land Use to Improve Public Health

The newest craze for improving the health of Angelenos isn't an all-liquid diet or a Brazilian exercise regimen; it's a new approach to land use regulation being championed by the County and City of Los Angeles.

February 23, 2013 - LA.Streetsblog

Friday Funny: Map Madness

BuzzFeed has gathered 38 prime examples of "maps you never knew you needed." And while some are fascinating (such as how much space the world's population would take up if everyone lived in one city) others are just Ludacris.

February 22, 2013 - BuzzFeed

How Communities Are Fighting Transportation Injustice

Transportation costs disproportionately effect low-income families, while federal transportation spending biases affluent drivers over lower-income mass transit riders. Activists are utilizing civil rights legislation to challenge the status quo.

February 21, 2013 - Boston Review

The Evolving Science of Design

Researchers are beginning to understand how the human brain is hard-wired to respond to certain patterns, colors, and proportions. The result is "a revolution in the science of design," says Lance Hosey, and "most people...aren’t even aware of it."

February 20, 2013 - The New York Times

Parks, in Need of a New Metaphor

Parks have long been likened to "the lungs of the city." But to better capture the totality of parks' role in our urban milieu a more apt metaphor is necessary.

February 19, 2013 - Steven Snell

Nightlife in Tel Aviv

Enliven Nightlife to Attract Millenials

Montgomery County wants to be the life of the party. To do so, it's establishing a special taskforce to boost its nighttime economy and attract millenials, reports Bill Turque.

February 18, 2013 - The Washington Post

Dobbs Ferry

Bred in Brooklyn, Hipsters Now Colonizing the Suburbs

Facing increasing property prices, Brooklyn's hipsters must decide whether to abandon their lifestyle and recreate it "upstate."

February 18, 2013 - New York Times

Play 'Name That Neighborhood'

Looking for a stimulating way to waste some time this afternoon? A new game from the inventive software developers at Code for America will test how well you know your city - down to the neighborhood.

February 15, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

To Combat Pedestrian Deaths, Shift Blame from the Victim

With many states witnessing a rise in pedestrian fatalities, David M Nelson asks: "Where is the public outcry to improve safety?" With pedestrians often blamed for such incidents, he argues new laws dealing with pedestrian-vehicle crashes are needed.

February 15, 2013 - PPS Placemaking Blog

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.

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.