Social / Demographics
California State University System Leads Nation in Economic Mobility for Students
A new study ranks California State University campuses among the top institutions in California for economic mobility, demonstrating their success in providing affordable education that significantly boosts students’ long-term earnings.
A Sustainable Future for LA: Updating the OurCounty Plan
Los Angeles County is updating its Sustainability Plan to refine its vision for climate action, environmental justice, and community well-being, with residents encouraged to participate by taking the OurCounty 2025 Update Community Survey.
Public Libraries May Be More Relevant Than Ever
Libraries around the country are expanding their services in an effort to become ‘third spaces’ for the community.
A Monument to Resilience: Native Hawaiian Art Installation Honors History and Healing
The towering ʻUmeke Lāʻau installation by Native Hawaiian artist Meleanna Aluli Meyer, unveiled at Honolulu's city hall, is a powerful symbol of cultural resilience and healing.
Estonian Capital Launches Noise Reduction Action Plan
European Union cities are required to create ‘noise maps’ and strategic plans for reducing environmental noise.
Planning Communities for Thriving Children
When it comes to children's health and economic success, current trends are dismal. New research identifies how to plan communities where children can thrive. The secret? Compact, mixed-income, multimodal neighborhoods.
Urban Forestry as a Pathway to Equity and Opportunity
Urban forestry job training programs are creating economic opportunities for underrepresented individuals while addressing workforce shortages and advancing tree equity in communities most impacted by environmental disparities.
Neurodivergence and the City
Researchers are starting to understand how people with conditions like autism experience cities differently — and how to design for the neurodiverse brain.
Community Colleges: A Pathway for Native Hawaiian Achievement and Growth
The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges provide Native Hawaiian students with transformative educational experiences, integrating academic success, cultural identity, and strong community support to help them find purpose and thrive.
Building Resilient Communities: Insights from the LA County Cities Summit
The Los Angeles County Cities Summit convened local leaders to share strategies for advancing sustainability, addressing climate resilience, extreme heat, and other pressing environmental challenges through policy and community-driven solutions.
Rural Homelessness Could Be Vastly Underestimated, Study Finds
The annual ‘point in time’ count fails to capture the diverse types of situations experienced by unhoused people in rural communities.
Mobile App Makes DC Transit Easy to Navigate for Visually Impaired Riders
The app gives step-by-step directions and audio and visual cues accessible from anywhere for thousands of bus stops and rail stations.
How ‘Anti-DEI’ Efforts Impact Sustainable Transportation Studies
Research into accessibility, transit equity, and traffic safety is losing federal funding at an alarming rate.
Language Matters: Addressing Communication Gaps in Disaster Response
A UCLA study reveals that language barriers left many Asian residents in Los Angeles County without critical wildfire evacuation and recovery information, highlighting the need for more inclusive emergency communication strategies.
Half of Altadena’s Black Homes Lost or Damaged in Eaton Fire
The community has higher Black homeownership rates than most of Los Angeles, but now faces an uncertain future as residents struggle to rebuild.
Making Autonomous Vehicles Safer for Blind Pedestrians
A team of researchers is developing a dataset to fill a critical gap in self-driving cars’ learning models.
Hitting Its Stride Or Hitting A Wall? South Texas At a Watershed Moment
Can South Texas rise up without drying up?
Population and Economic Shifts in the Wake of the Maui Wildfires
The 2023 Maui wildfires have caused significant out-migration, reduced in-migration, and substantial economic losses, reshaping the island’s population and straining its recovery efforts.
More Than a Game: How Sports Can Uplift Communities After Disaster
In the wake of devastating wildfires, a professional sports team in Los Angeles is stepping up to support affected fans, offering aid, morale-boosting gestures, and a sense of community resilience.
Condos, a Key Source of Affordable Housing for Homeowners, Are in Jeopardy
Decades of increasing costs and deferred maintenance could lead to people losing their homes unless changes are made.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
