Social / Demographics

Rules Limiting Activities In Public Spaces Target Homeless

Broad regulations have been approved in Berkeley, California, that would ban certain activities in public spaces, such as laying on the ground and urinating. This set of rules seeks to impose greater control over the city's homeless population.

June 15, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Is A Sheltered Suburban Childhood Good For Kids?

Parents who grew up in the city but raised their children in the suburbs wonder if they made the right choice.

June 14, 2007 - The Charlotte Observer

Growing Old In The Suburbs

A new report from the Brookings Institution shows that suburbs are aging faster than cities -- and may signal a desire by seniors to stay put in their suburban communities.

June 14, 2007 - The New York Times

TODs Prove To Be A Boon For Urban Regions

In this special report, the WSJ examines the growing popularity of rail-based TODs, examining their effect on land values as well as the challenges they may face in obtaining approval.

June 13, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Book That Examines Suburban Lifestyle Inspires Life Changes

The book, "Death by Suburb: How to Keep the Suburbs from Killing Your Soul" is making the rounds among church congregations who find meaning in its message.

June 12, 2007 - The Washington Post

Transportation Costs Undermine Atlanta's 'Affordable' Label

Metro Atlanta ranked as the second costliest area to live in the U.S. for working families after the region's sky-high transportation costs were considered along with housing costs.

June 12, 2007 - Alex Pearlstein

Making Housing Work For Grandparents And Grandchildren

With more and more grandparent raising their grandchildren nationally, developers are responding to the demand for housing that can accommodate both age groups and provide the specialized services each needs.

June 11, 2007 - The Chicago Tribune

Smart Growth Leaders Still Living Low Density American Dream

While encouraging the city's residents to embrace higher densities and public transit, many of Los Angeles's smart growth advocates live in single family homes and commute long distances in cars.

June 10, 2007 - LA Weekly

Olympic Games Cause Of Major Displacement, Says Rights Group

A human rights group has accused the Chinese Government of forcing 1.5 million residents from their homes in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing -- the latest in a continuing saga of displacement in former host cities.

June 8, 2007 - The Washington Post

Atlanta's Murder Rate Spikes By 22 Percent

Assaults and property crimes are also up in 2006, according to recently released FBI data. City officials are hoping the increase is a one-time occurrence, and not a trend that could endanger its ongoing urban revitalization efforts.

June 7, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

More Kids Not Allowed To Go Out And Play

Fewer and fewer parents are allowing their children to leave the house unattended. Citing safety concerns, nearly half of parents prefer to keep their kids home.

June 7, 2007 - BBC

High Density For The Dead

Space for the dead is an increasingly tight commodity in England, so the government has pushed plans to increase the density of its graveyards. Under the new plans, older gravesites could be altered to accommodate up to six additional coffins.

June 6, 2007 - BBC

Why Americans Like Big Homes

Americans generally see bigger as better, and a desire for status combined with local government's desire to attract high-income residents often drives the development of large homes on large lots.

June 5, 2007 - The Environmental Report

'Scripted Neighborhoods' By A Developer Who Defines Our Time

Do great civic spaces evolve or can they be invented? A look at the impact of "Disney-esque' developer Rick Caruso, the creator of The Grove, a successful retail complex in Los Angeles.

June 4, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Google's 'Street View' Sparks Privacy Questions

"Street View," a new feature of Google Maps, offers panoramic street-level views of major urban areas. Where do you draw the line between public & private?

June 4, 2007 - The New York Times

Conserving Gas By Buying A Third Car

Rather than down-sizing to a more economic vehicle, many commuters are instead choosing to up-size their car ‘fleet’ to include the smaller vehicle, rather than trading-in their gas-guzzler, resulting in an explosion of three-car households.

June 4, 2007 - The New York Times

A Primer on Community Cohesion

The UK releases a summary report on the growing need in the country for greater 'Community Cohesion' -- or how to promote community citizenship based on greater knowledge and contact between different cultures.

June 2, 2007 - IDeA Knowledge

Rezoning For An Aging Suburban Population

The first issue of a new journal on aging features a discussion on planning and rezoning of a suburb in response to the desires of an aging suburban population for a walkable community with mixed use and better transit services.

June 1, 2007 - CCQ Capital Commons Quarterly: The Dynamics of Aging and Our Communities

Iconic Hippie Neighborhood At Gentrification Crossroads

Ex-hippies-turned-homeowners and younger drifters have different expectations from San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.

June 1, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Boston Tries Its Hand At Artist Housing

A new development in Hyde Park aims to revitalize its business district by attracting artists who are being priced out of Boston's formerly affordable neighborhoods.

May 31, 2007 - The Boston Globe

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.