Social / Demographics

2010 Census Outreach to Target the Foreclosed and Immigrants

Increased ethnic and language diversity, combined with widespread housing abandonment will make data gathering for the 2010 Census especially challenging.

March 24, 2009 - CBS News

Rebirth Through Art in Abandoned Detroit

This piece from NPR looks at what artists are doing in Detroit to snatch up abandoned homes and convert them into community centers and art spaces.

March 24, 2009 - NPR

Draft Master Plan Released in New Orleans

A new master plan for New Orleans has been released. Controversy is expected on the highly anticipated plan as public input is gathered.

March 23, 2009 - New Orleans Times Picayune

Canada's Housing Market Braces and Bends for Boomers

As Baby Boomers reach retirement age in Canada, nearly one out of five in the country will be retired within a decade. This coming retirement boom is already affecting the housing market, which many expect to change dramatically.

March 22, 2009 - The National Post

A New Paris, as Dreamed by Planners

Nine-month study commissioned by President Nicolas Sarkozy aims to transform Paris and its surrounding suburbs into the first sustainable “post-Kyoto" city.

March 19, 2009 - The New York Times

Habitat Tears Down Shrinking City's Houses

Habitat for Humanity, known for building low-cost, affordable houses, has taken to deconstructing homes in Saginaw, MI. Reselling the materials and building smaller homes in their stead make more sense than rehabilitating an old house, they say.

March 19, 2009 - The New York Times

Maxed Out on Billboards

The city of Waco, Texas, imposes limits on new billboards--hoping to reduce its overall inventory with a "cap and replace" strategy.

March 19, 2009 - News 8 Austin

Catering to Oakland's Enclaves

A one-size-fits-all urban landscape doesn't mean that different ethnic neighborhoods don't find ways to personalize them. A UC Berkeley graduate student investigates how cultures perceive space.

March 18, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Redesigning City Design

President Obama has promised to give cities a new image, one as the engines that drive the economy and whose issues are intertwined with those of the suburbs. This article looks at some of the big ideas shaping the new city.

March 18, 2009 - Architect Magazine

Sunning in the Slums

Taking a hint from heightened interest in Brazil's favelas, a German developer plans to build 10 villas in a Rio de Janeiro slum, which he'll market as the new tourist hotspot.

March 18, 2009 - International Herald Tribune

Lose Pay Phones, Fight Crime and Blight?

Jacksonville, Florida officials are considering removing pay phones on sidewalks and in downtown parks, which are often viewed as nuisances that hinder efforts to make neighborhoods cleaner and safer.

March 13, 2009 - The Florida Times-Union

A Building Boom with a Human Cost

This piece from Next American City looks at the human toll major building projects are taking on construction workers in China, Dubai and other rapidly developing places.

March 13, 2009 - Next American City

New Urbanists 1, Sprawl 0

Fast Company blogger Michael Cannell says the economic crisis stands to make big winners out of the new urbanists.

March 13, 2009 - Fast Company

Sacramento's Growing Tent City

A tent city is burgeoning in Sacramento, Calif., prompting local officials to consider whether such an encampment should be made permanent, with plumbing and all.

March 12, 2009 - The New York Times

Suburban Angst? No Thanks

Contrary to their dismal depiction in novels and films, suburbs are very satisfying places to live, according to a new survey.

March 9, 2009 - The Globe and Mail

Melbourne Needs A Makeover

Veteran Australian architect Philip Cox says Melbourne is long overdue for a makeover, and a move towards people-centric city development.

March 8, 2009 - The Age

Satisfied in the Suburb

According to the Pew Research Center, suburban dwellers are the most content with where they live, despite reports that also find that suburbs are not regarded the most ideal places to live.

March 7, 2009 - Pew Research Center

Taking a Closer Look at the Slum

Slums have garnered some positive attention lately, from academics (Teddy Cruz) to royalty (Prince Charles). This article looks at just what it is we can learn from them, as well as the challenges that face legitimizing the world's shantytowns.

March 5, 2009 - The Boston Globe

Teens Need Walkability

One blogger makes the case for walkable urbanism, in the context of the social and physical well-being of adolescents specifically.

March 5, 2009 - Greater Greater Washington

From Concrete Box to LEED-Certified

Prisons around the country are looking less and less like the typical concrete box; Washington state has 34 LEED-certified prisons, some of which offer "green work" programs.

March 5, 2009 - The New York Times

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.

Senior Planner

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Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

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.