Social / Demographics

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

Unhoused People Overwhelmingly Want One Thing: Shelter

Two new studies shed light on what people experiencing homelessness actually need by using a shocking new tactic: asking them.

October 20, 2022 - Zocalo Public Square

The Interstate 10 freeway cuts through residential neighborhoods in the city of Alhambra. Downtown Los Angeles is visible in the background,

The Consequences of Sprawl: Overcrowded Housing and Covid Deaths

Los Angeles is the nation's capital of both crowding and sprawl. A feature published by the Los Angeles Times provides the history of how the metropolis achieved this contradiction.

October 20, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

I-94 Freeway in Minneapolis

Driving as a Risk Factor: A New Paradigm

New strategies are needed to achieve ambitious safety goals such as Vision Zero. This requires a paradigm shift, a change in the ways risks are measured and potential safety strategies evaluated.

October 20, 2022 - Todd Litman

Protest Crowd

Breaking the Bias on Public Transport

How gender-sensitive data collection can make public transit safer for women.

October 20, 2022 - Louise Ribet

Freshly painted white crosswalk leading to yellow curb cut to sidewalk

Following Lawsuit, Philadelphia to Add or Fix 10,000 Curb Cuts

Disability rights advocates won a settlement that directs the city to improve accessibility on its public roads over the next 15 years.

October 19, 2022 - WHYY

Twin Cities

New Studies Shed Light on Relationship Between Zoning and Racial Integration

While zoning is just one of many factors impacting racial integration and economic mobility, it is an issue with some of the more straightforward solutions.

October 17, 2022 - Mercatus Center

Brick apartment building with For Rent sign

Renting on the Rise, With Consequences for Neighborhoods

A higher share of Americans are renters than at any point in decades. Neighborhoods all over the country, especially in downtowns, have many more renters than they did in 2010.

October 14, 2022 - RentCafé

Man crossing crosswalk with seeing eye dog and cane

Opinion: Make Safe, Slow Streets the Default

For people with disabilities or limited mobility, a lack of safe infrastructure can cause significant disruptions, delays, and safety hazards.

October 12, 2022 - Next City

"NO Public Restroom" sign on restaurant window

Opinion: Opening Restrooms to Public Is Good for Business

For many people with chronic illnesses, access to public restrooms can be a critical medical issue. Incentivizing businesses to open their restrooms can fill a critical gap in U.S. cities.

October 9, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Disneyland, Main Street

"Imagineering" Versus Planning

The conference of the California chapter of the American Planning Association took place across the street from Disneyland this week. What Disney does for fictional landscapes, planners must do for real landscapes.

October 6, 2022 - California Planning & Development Report

Woman in wheelchair working at a home office desk

How Remote Work is Changing the Playing Field for Workers With Disabilities

The more widespread acceptance of working from home is helping millions of Americans with disabilities get back into the workforce and find better job opportunities.

October 4, 2022 - Bloomberg

People post for photos in front of a colorful mural in the evening.

Placemaking: Building on the ‘Soul’ of a Place

Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.

October 4, 2022 - Brian Chambers

Street in San Francisco's Tenderloin District with tents on sidewalk

Sacramento Voters to Decide on Using Lawsuits to Reclaim Sidewalks

Measure O may be one of the first ballot measures of its kind to empower residents to take legal action against a city for illegal encampments on city property. The Sacramento City Council voted 7-2 on August 9 to place the ordinance before voters.

September 29, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

Miami and Key Biscayne

The Great American Exodus: A Conservative's Perspective

During his keynote speech on September 11 at the National Conservatism Conference in Miami, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis describes the demographic shifts in America since he became governor in 2019 in what he calls the 'Great American Exodus.'

September 27, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Portland Transit

Promoting Diversity in Transit Leadership

Latinos in Transit works to connect and empower people of color to increase diversity in management roles at transit agencies.

September 25, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Telecommute

D.C., San Francisco Lead Pandemic Work From Home Trend

Remote work increased threefold during the pandemic, but the numbers vary significantly from city to city and region to region. Almost half of D.C.-area employees, for example, worked from home in 2021, according to American Community Survey data.

September 20, 2022 - The Washington Post

Blue and yellow light rail train pulling into outdoor station in St. Paul, MInnesota

Twin Cities Volunteers Help Recent Immigrants Navigate Transit

Showing refugee and immigrant residents how to use public transportation can improve access to essential services, jobs, and education, but a more robust transit system is needed to effectively serve all who need it.

September 20, 2022 - Next City

View of green lawn and Buncombe County courthouse in Asheville, North Carolina

How Tax Assessments in a Supposedly Progressive County Are Reinforcing Racism

Buncombe County in North Carolina was one of the first places in the U.S. to support reparations for Black residents. So why is the county not doing a better job of addressing property tax inequities that directly impact residents of color?

September 20, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green Healthy Community

Making Healthy Places

The editors of the book "Making Healthy Places," recently published in a second edition by Island Press, discuss the intersections of public health and planning, including key concepts such as green gentrification, health impact assessments, and AI.

September 18, 2022 - Laurie Mazur

Air Pollution

Democrats Call for Stronger Action on Environmental Justice

The Justice40 initiative could make a major difference for communities burdened by pollution, but only if funds are spent on projects that maintain a focus on equity.

September 18, 2022 - The Washington Post

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.