Social / Demographics

White Denver RTD on-demand microtransit van on street.

Denver Advocates Sue RTD for Charging People With Disabilities for On-demand Transit

The suit argues the agency is violating the rights of Americans with disabilities while lowering fares for other riders.

December 11, 2025 - The Denver Post

Loose, messy stack of silver and gold cryptocurrency coins with crypto logos.

Study Shows Youth With No Prospects of Owning a House Gambling on ‘Risky’ Crypto Investments

Younger Americans who feel they have little hope of owning a home are making riskier financial decisions, research shows.

December 3, 2025 - TheStreet

City of South Gate Urban Orchard Demonstration Project

How South Gate, California Expanded its Park System Against the Odds

With limited space and funding, South Gate opened three new parks this year through community-driven design, creative partnerships, and persistent public leadership.

November 28, 2025 - LAist

Current Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson holding up a sign during a transit protest.

Co-founder of Seattle Transit Riders Union Wins Mayoral Bid

Katie Wilson, co-founder and general secretary of Seattle's Transit Riders Union, edged out incumbent Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell in one of the nation's closest races on Nov. 4 that took nine days before a winner could be declared.

November 20, 2025 - Governing

Splash Park

In a Warming World, Water-Based Recreation Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Necessity

Increasing access to pools, splash pads, and lakes is not just about fun — it is about health, equity, and resilience in a warming world.

November 17, 2025 - PRB+ Magazine

Aerial view of Macarthur Park lake with downtown Los Angeles skyline in background.

LA County Adopts Strategy for Greener, More Resilient Communities

The 2025 OurCounty Sustainability Plan charts an ambitious path toward a cleaner, more equitable, and climate-resilient future for Los Angeles County.

November 13, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Pink Spanish-style building for Mountain View City Hall in Mountain View, California.

In the Heart of Silicon Valley, one City's Homeless Population Grew by 56%

The unhoused population in Santa Clara County grew by 8% since 2023. The city of Mountain View is a different story.

November 12, 2025 - MVHS Oracle

Elderly man holding a paper bag of groceries sitting on public bus.

Transit Agencies Ramp up Free and Reduced Fare Programs for SNAP Recipients

Some transit systems are offering free rides for low-income riders until benefits are restored.

November 10, 2025 - Mass Transit

Screenshot from TikTok video of people painting rainbow sidealk in front of clothing store in Houston, Texas.

Artists Blanket Houston in Rainbow Murals After City Removes Rainbow Crosswalks

Houstonians are responding to the removal of rainbow crosswalks with new murals celebrating diversity.

November 6, 2025 - Houston Chronicle

Abandoned, boarded up small vintage gas station in rural Georgia.

How Georgia’s Drop in Per Capita Income Presaged Its Rural Demographic Collapse

Before a collapse in Georgia’s rural counties population, a decade of drops in per capita income lay the foundation for future trouble.

November 6, 2025 - Charles Hayslett

New development of single-family homes in Henderson, Nevada.

US Census Releases Most Accurate, Granular Housing Data Yet

A new measurement tool eliminates the inaccuracies that have plagued data about housing supply, helping governments more clearly understand how housing policies are impacting local needs.

November 3, 2025 - Niskanen Center

Protest

U.S. Immigrant Population Falls for First Time in Over Half a Century

The Pew Research Center attributes the 2.6% decline to a mix of factors, including increased enforcement, deportations and other recent policies.

October 19, 2025 - Cal Matters

Tired man leaning on window sleeping on bus or tram.

Study: Cramped Quarters Worsen Sleep — but not as Much as Long Commutes

A Japanese study links commutes over 50 minutes to higher rates of insomnia and daytime sleepiness.

October 13, 2025 - Medical News

Blue barn in green grassy field in rural Georgia.

The Hollowing Out of Rural Georgia

America’s rural population is declining for the first time in history. In Georgia, it amounts to a demographic crisis.

October 13, 2025 - Charles Hayslett

View of neoclassical dome with statue on top through construction of high-rise buildings in Washington DC.

92% of DC Construction Groups Struggle to Hire Workers Amid ICE Raids

Contractors are being forced to delay project timelines as more workers stay home to avoid ICE dragnets.

October 12, 2025 - Axios

Parents helping child carry boxes to or from car trunk in front of house.

Number of Young Adults Living at Home Jumps 6.3% in 10 Years

High housing costs are driving more people under 35 to move back in with their parents, in many cases delaying other milestones like marriage and children.

October 9, 2025 - Fortune

Los Angeles River Bike Path

LA is Finally Tackling its Concrete Problem

L.A. County is launching an Urban Natureways initiative that will convert flood channels and utility corridors into interconnected greenways to boost climate resilience, equity, and community vitality.

October 9, 2025 - Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath

Passengers boarding orange Los Angeles Metro bus on a sunny day.

Report: Reduced Fare Transit Programs Reach Less Than Half of Eligible Riders

Discount programs designed to help low-income transit riders have participation rates that rarely hit 50%, signaling a lack of effective outreach to eligible households.

October 1, 2025 - Regional Plan Association

African American senior couple smiling in front of a moving truck in front of a single-family home.

Downsizing Baby Boomers May Ease the Housing Crisis

Some hope that a ‘silver tsunami’ of downsizing baby boomers will bring down housing costs, but the reality is likely much more complicated.

September 28, 2025 - NPR

Top-down view of people walking down street with their umbrellas highlighted in bright blue-ish colors.

Video: Jane Jacobs’ ‘Sidewalk Ballet’ is Alive and Well

“Streets Make Cities” takes viewers on a stroll down West 4th Street in Greenwich Village, illustrating the many ways that streets and sidewalks form the lifeblood of a city.

September 19, 2025 - YouTube

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

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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.