Social / Demographics

‘Arrested Mobility’: How Transportation-Related Laws Impact Black Americans
A far-reaching new study highlights the disproportionate effect of biking and walking laws on the mobility of Black Americans.

‘Climate-Proof Duluth’ Is Changing
Climate refugees are already on the move in the United States. The New York Times recently conducted an exploration on of the most desirable locations to escape wildfires, drought, and sea-level rise.

The Cost of Driving Increasingly Out of Reach in the U.S.
New research stresses the importance of socioeconomic differences in U.S. transportation trends.

The Nation's Most Advanced Secessionist Movement
Legislation supporting the Greater Idaho Movement, which would annex over half of neighboring Oregon, has advanced in the Idaho legislature.

Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher Rates of Pedestrian Deaths, Study Says
The consequences of historic redlining continue to have consequences in the present day United States. Add another example to the list.

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: Major Short Sell Risk
Policy makers dealing with housing issues aren't fully absorbing the numbers. In the second of a series on the subject, Ben Brown and Dr. Arthur C. Nelson help clarify what's going on and what we can do about it.

Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.

Report: Pandemic Migration Accelerated Existing Trends
Despite some transformative changes and brief spikes in domestic migration, the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be exacerbating existing declines in internal mobility.

Advancing Equity Through Conservation and Restoration
Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) makes the case that to be equitable, 30x30 efforts must include both conservation of additional natural lands and restoration of degraded lands.

The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.

Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime
Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021 but began to ebb in 2022 and 2023. Have these trends played out equally across all cities, or were they worse in cities controlled by one political party or the other?

Environmental Justice Advocates Criticize Federal Assessment Tool
A tool designed to guide federal grant distribution may not prioritize the highest-need communities, while conflicting grant guidelines create challenges for local agencies.

Election 2024: Red vs. Blue States
In a speech on Sunday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, likely Republican presidential contender Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said that the pandemic was “a great test in governing philosophies."

Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.

Austin Scores Highest on Pandemic Recovery; Bay Area and Baltimore Lowest
The Bay Area Council and CBRE created an economic tracker to measure how well the nation's 25 largest metropolitan areas have recovered from the public health restrictions imposed on their regions at the onset of the pandemic.

Generation Z Is Driving Less, But History Indicates It Won’t Last
Think Generation Z will usher in the long-awaited post-car future of transit advocates’ dreams? Think again (about the example set by the Millennials).

A Chatbot Talks Regeneration and Recovery for Seattle
In his recent analysis of trends to watch for 2023, Managing Editor James Brasuell noted how ChatGPT might replace all the writers of Planetizen, and more. Chuck Wolfe decided to take literally Brasuell's “don't let it sneak up on you” admonition.

Study: Many American Seniors Can’t Afford to ‘Age in Place’
A lack of affordable housing and access to services and amenities make it difficult for many seniors to remain in their long-term homes or communities.
Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities
The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.

Milwaukee Sets Sights on a Million Residents
Zoning reform will be key to the Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s vision to almost double the city’s population.
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