Social / Demographics

Los Angeles Considers Lifting Artistic Mural Ban

Los Angeles is considering a new ordinance that will allow artists to paint murals on private property as long as they have permission from the owner.

December 8, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

How the Suburbs Killed Our Connectivity, And How to Fix It

The deeper our sense of community, the better positioned we are to take on change, says Scott Doyon, but the leisurely lull of the suburbs may have killed our ability to work together.

December 7, 2011 - PlaceShakers

The Living Wage Mandate Works

A 2003 policy that mandated that subsidized developements grant jobs at living wages has not hampered development, according to one official.

December 7, 2011 - Capital New York

Congressional Redistricting Leaves Cities Split

Urban areas have been historically shortchanged when drawing Congressional district lines, and some mayors are less than thrilled to see their municipalities "carved up." Michael Cooper reports.

December 7, 2011 - The New York Times

Public Sector Jobs Feeling the Pinch

While the news appeared positive in last week's jobs report, the public sector was significantly worse, with 20,000 government workers laid off in November alone.

December 5, 2011 - The New York Times

Designing a Retirement Community for LGBT Seniors

Architect Mattias Hollwich talks about BOOM, a community designed with the unique needs of gay and lesbian retirees that has become a blueprint for new retirement developments the world over.

December 5, 2011 - SmartPlanet

Actualizing Seasteads

Brainchild of libertarians, seasteads are brand new cities built upon the ocean. It's not as far-fetched as it sounds, according to this article's author, but it will have to overcome the myriad engineering, energy, and legal challenges.

December 4, 2011 - The Economist

Assessing the Visions for Mumbai

Various reports detail how Mumbai can become a world-class city by listing infrastructure and development goals, but, as Nayantara Kilachand points out, "cultural and social nuance" need to be--but aren't--factored in.

December 3, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Latest NYC Neighborhood Acronym: Chumbo

Chumbo (Chinatown Under the Manhattan Bridge) is drawing young creative types to a slice of Chinatown with--what else--low rent. Is this neighborhood within a neighborhood big enough for long-time residents and newcomers?

December 2, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Extensive Cycling Infrastructure Created By Mass Protest

The Netherlands gains the title of 'Safest Place to Cycle,' which is mainly due to their extensive infrastructure. But how did these high quality cycle paths come to exist?

December 1, 2011 - Sustainable Cities Collective

America's Saddest Cities

Florida's five largest cities ended up in the top 20 of Men's Health list of saddest cities in the U.S. St. Petersberg took the top spot as saddest city.

November 30, 2011 - Mens Health

Native-born Californians Reign Again

It's 1900 all over again - more Californians are born here than come from other states or countries. The recession and high housing costs have continued the outflow from the state meaning that growth is dependent largely on offspring of immigrants.

November 30, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Housing Guarantee Planned for Families in Mumbai Slums

Pending government approval, state housing department plans to grant all slum-dwelling families in Mumbai houses may become reality. The houses are free for families settled prior to 1995.

November 30, 2011 - The Times Of India

Why Have the Exurbs Declined?

Christopher B. Leinberger expounds on the mortgage crisis plaguing America, particularly the exurbs. Rather than being a product of the excesses of bank lending and regulation, Leinberger attributes it to demographic changes benefiting cities.

November 27, 2011 - The New York Times- Opinion Pages

Does "Doubling Up" Mean "Homeless"?

It's becoming increasingly common for adults to "double" up with other households, indicating that the recession is still affecting families. But are they officially homeless? It depends on who you ask, of course. Emily Badger reports.

November 24, 2011 - The Atlantic Cities

Latin America's Most Competitive Cities

Brazilian cities dominated the list compiled by AméricaEconomía. Many traditional Brazilian metropolises rose in the list, while many of its B-level cities like Campinas (20th) and Manaus (29th) were included for the first time.

November 23, 2011 - Worldcrunch

Does NYC Have Room for Engineers?

New York needs the more of such talent, according to officials. Gina Bellafonte reflects on where the city stands now in terms of its tech talent in light of the city's recent proposal request for a large, elite tech school somewhere in the city.

November 23, 2011 - The New York Times

Hearst Corp Planning To Redevelop San Francisco Block

Hearst Corporation is planning to redevelop the city block that surrounds its San Francisco Chronicle offices at 5th and Mission. The update would include a new mixed use tower containing 1.3 million square feet of commercial space.

November 22, 2011 - SF Gate

Where the Hipsters Go

Good planning is attracting young hipsters to cities throughout the world, writes Christopher F. Schuetze.

November 22, 2011 - International Herald Tribune via New York Times

Does Living in a Poor Neighborhood Harm Your Health?

A study conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the 1990s found that living in poor neighborhoods can actually hurt your health.

November 19, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

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.