Social / Demographics
Pandemic, Equity Dominate 2020 Planning News
Even with the world shut down, many California planning issues continued to be debated online, fought over in court, enacted in city halls, and realized on the ground. And yet, racial equity and the pandemic are the defining stories of 2020.
Mayor Pete Is Biden's Pick for Transportation Secretary
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate a former rival in the Democratic presidential primary and the former two-term mayor of South Bend, the fourth largest city in Indiana, to head the Transportation Department.
Robert Bullard Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by the United Nations
Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University and author of the seminal book "Dumping in Dixie," has been awared the United Nation's highest environmental honor.
AIA Updates Ethics Code to Prohibit Design of Facilities Used for Solitary Confinement, Execution
Advocates in the design industries have been pushing for years for the American Institute of Architects to take a stance on how prisons are designed.
Germany Locks Down to Protect Healthcare System
Beginning Dec. 16, all of Germany will be subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions to reduce infections following a meeting with the chancellor and the 16 state governors. Schools will close and restaurants will be confined to take-out service.
California Judge Berates L.A. County Public Health Department in Outdoor Dining Ruling
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge was critical of county public health officials for banning outdoor dining to slow the spread of the coronavirus without providing scientific evidence that the order would reduce infections.
San Diego Considers Cutting Short-Term Rentals by Half
In a bid to address concerns about vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods, the San Diego Planning Commission recommends cutting the number of short-term rentals in the city in half.
Keeping Senior Drivers Safe Requires Better Public Transit
Using alternate transportation and driving less can help older drivers keep themselves and others safe. But with many living on fixed incomes in car-dependent communities, how realistic is the NHTSA’s recommendation for a "transportation plan"?
Top Websites for Urban Planning – 2020
Planetizen's annual list of the best of the planning Internet in a year inextricably defined by the uncertainty and constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rethinking Place Governance to Advance Equitable Development
The Boston Foundation's first Place Leadership Network process offers lessons in how to build place-based coalitions to advance the cause of equity.
Do Americans Want More Housing, or More Zoning?
The answer depends on how the question is phrased.
Pandemic Geography: What's Wrong in Rhode Island?
The nation's smallest and second densest state has led the country in daily new cases per capita of coronavirus infections for the last week, supplanting the Midwest and Mountain States where the virus has reigned for months.
A Milestone for the American Community Survey
After releasing new five-year estimates this week, the American Community Survey now offers three sets of five-year data that don't overlap, providing even more data for the analysis of local trends.
The Race Barriers of American Cities
The United States has a long and insidious history of erecting structures to control the movements of African Americans in urban and suburban spaces.
Insights From the Latest Livability Index
The latest edition of the AARP Livability Index reveals the U.S. regions with more of the kinds of neighborhoods that offer quality of life benefits for residents of all ages.
Nine Months Later: How the Pandemic Is Changing Communities
Planetizen shares the latest in a series of compendia tackling the effects of the pandemic, now and in the future, for cities and communities.
The Pandemic's Most Critical Health Metric Just Shut Down Most of California
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who issued the nation's first stay-at-home order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, issued a new order to prevent hospitals in the nation's most populous state from being overwhelmed with COVID patients.
Environmental Neuroscience Reveals the Diversity of City Experiences
You know what racial equity means, but have you heard of 'experiential equity'? Environmental neuroscientist Robin Mazumder explains the term and how it can inform our understanding of equity in the built environment.
Hospitals and Healthcare Workers Brace for Influx of COVID Patients
Coronavirus infections, while at record-high levels, have decreased during the past week, unlike hospitalizations, which are still surging. Public health experts expect it to get a lot worse due to the Thanksgiving holiday travel.
Lack of Septic Systems Spell Disaster for Low-Income Alabama Residents
Low-income Alabama residents who can't afford the cost of a functional septic tank run the risk of heavy fines and even arrest in addition to extremely unsafe conditions.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
