Social / Demographics
Chicago Made Hundreds of Accessibility Upgrades in 2024
The city has improved over 200 bus stops and 400 of its nearly 3,000 intersections to make them safer for people with disabilities.
$2.1 Billion Secured for Maui Wildfire Recovery and Resilience
Congress has approved federal funding to support Maui’s wildfire recovery, including housing, economic development, and infrastructure improvements while fostering long-term community resilience and preparedness.
National Brownfields Training Conference: Driving Sustainable Redevelopment
The conference will bring together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, strategies, and resources for the remediation and sustainable redevelopment of contaminated properties, fostering economic growth and environmental restoration.
Maui's Deadly Firestorm: Investigating the Tragedy and Lessons for the Future
FRONTLINE's Maui’s Deadly Firestorm investigates the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, uncovering critical failures in preparedness and response while examining the tragedy’s causes, impact, and lessons for future disaster prevention.
New Orleans Seeks Consultants for $8M Tree Planting Initiative
The city seeks consultancy firms to help implement an $8 million USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant, advancing its goal of planting 40,000 trees by 2030 and strengthening urban sustainability and resilience.
Camping Bans Proliferate After Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling in the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson has led over 100 cities to pass or step up enforcement of camping bans that criminalize unhoused residents.
Is Crime More Concentrated in Spread-out Cities?
Our nation's most transit-friendly cities have lower crime rates than many sprawling cities- yet some people seem to feel safer in sprawling cities because they believe that in sprawl, crime is concentrated in just a few neighborhoods. Is this correct?
Food Insecurity in LA County Remains Alarmingly High Despite Some Improvement
Food insecurity in Los Angeles County remains above the national average, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority households, with researchers calling for expanded assistance and systemic solutions to address ongoing disparities.
Students Drive Solutions for Environmental Justice Through Video Challenge
The Environmental Justice Video Challenge empowers students and communities to collaboratively address environmental inequities through innovative data-driven strategies, resulting in impactful projects and fostering local leadership.
Rebuilding Together: How One Baltimore Program Advanced Education and Community Development
When Baltimore got funding for a round of school renovations, the state directed it to design schools that would also advance neighborhood revitalization — and it learned some lessons about why that's not always so simple.
Planetizen’s Top Urban Planning Books of 2024
Top of mind in 2024 were the far-reaching impacts of climate displacement, zoning as a solution to the housing crisis, and the potential for safer roads and better public transit in American cities.
Fact Check: New Housing Doesn’t Lead to Overcrowded Schools
A common refrain heard by locals opposed to new housing developments is that area schools can’t absorb the increase in students they’ll bring. As the nation approaches an “enrollment cliff,” the data tells a different story.
Survey: Americans Finding it Harder to ‘Age in Place’
While many people over 65 would prefer to stay in their homes and communities, high housing costs and a lack of accessible infrastructure make it difficult.
USDOT: Low-Income Households Bear Highest Transportation Cost Burden
Transportation costs are the second-highest household expenditure behind housing for all income levels.
Study: Automobile Dependency Reduces Life Satisfaction
Automobile dependency has negative implications for wellbeing. This academic study finds that relying on a car for more than 50 percent of out-of-home travel is associated with significant reductions in life satisfaction.
For Some, Co-Housing Offers Social and Economic Benefits
Residents of co-living developments say the built-in community helps ease the growing isolation felt by many Americans.
Major US Cities Still Suffering Downtown Decline
Research shows that the “donut effect” hollowing out central business districts since the pandemic continues to cause economic decline in the 12 largest American cities.
Plugging the Gap: Taxpayers Shoulder the Burden of Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells
Taxpayers, federal agencies, and tribal governments are working to address Arizona's orphaned oil and gas wells, which pose environmental and health risks, while advocates call for greater accountability from oil and gas companies.
Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Climate Action
These solutions offer cost-effective, sustainable methods to combat climate change, but require government action to reallocate subsidies, integrate natural assets into financial systems, and develop biodiversity credit markets.
Trash to Treasure: New Park Set to Redefine Open Space in the San Gabriel Valley
Puente Hills Landfill Park, opening in 2027, will transform a former landfill into a regional park with trails, scenic vistas, and various amenities, addressing environmental justice and providing much-needed green space for the San Gabriel Valley.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
