American Cities
American Cities Should Be More Colorful
Designer Rachael Smith argues that a Puritan attitude toward color explains why so many American cities are clad in grays and browns, and links the gray-ification of cities to their gentrification.
Two Stories From 2020: Which Is True?
Have all cities lost people due to COVID-19, or just a few high-cost ones?
We Are (Sort of) Less Polarized Than in 2016
After moving toward Democrats for decades, central cities moved toward Republicans in 2020.
Which Cities Are Becoming More Violent?
Some cities have become significantly more violent since the George Floyd protests began—but not all. Why have some cities been more successful than others?
Dayenu!
Those of us who cherish cities have much to be grateful for (at least in some cities).
Should Online Shopping Change How We Use Ground-Level Space?
Urbanist Jane Jacobs' support for mixed use development has long been seen as the best urban design strategy, but this vision assumed that the retail space under housing could be rented. What if that is no longer the case?
The Smart Growth Movement: A (Partial) Success
Has the smart growth movement succeeded? It depends how you measure "success."
Malign Neglect? Urban Policy in the Trump Era
How much do we have to fear from the president-elect's policy plans for urban America? We can hope that he will follow his party's playbook and largely ignore the cities, but potential changes to housing policy are more serious.
Does Place Matter Anymore? Cities and the 2016 Election
Cities have appeared to figure very little into the presidential election up to now. To get a sense of whether this impression is accurate, I spent some time looking at the two party platforms, and the two candidate's websites.
Time to Try Pokémon Go: Augmented Reality Connecting People to Places
Planners across the globe have been exploring opportunities to use augmented reality to enhance the way the public engages with the city. Over the last few days Pokémon Go took off, and now people are wandering across cities to catch Pokémon.
Mapping The Movement of *Some* Millennials
The in-migration of Millennials is largely driving the changes that American cities are going through. More specifically, it is the ones with college degrees who are driving the change. Where are they moving, and what is their effect?
Is Net-Zero Building Realistic on a Large Scale?
Exploding global population numbers and worries about escalating energy prices, climate change, and energy independence have placed a priority on net-zero building. This article explores the viability of net-zero communities and cities.
Cities Where Density Benefits Transportation Efficiency
A simple demonstration of one of the benefits of density.
Do Millennials Opt for Cities or Suburbs? Yes.
Recent stories claiming that millenials either (a) prefer cities to suburbs or (b) prefer suburbs to cities both have some basis in reality.
More Sensationalism About Gentrification
Governing's recent study of gentrification systematically exaggerates gentrification in a variety of ways.
Migration Trends Don't Support the 'Golden Age' of Cities Narrative
"Who's Moving to the Cities, Who Isn't" suggest that the number of Americans selling the "Golden Age" cities narrative is greater than the number of Americans buying into it.
And the Feel-Good Oscar Goes To...
Discussing some of the most pro-urban movies ever made.
Mapping GDP—Urban Areas and Everything Else
An intrepid Reddit user has produced a striking visualization for the economic importance of the country’s urban areas by splitting the nation’s GDP into two—the top 50 percent and the lower 50 percent.
The Inequality Problem of America’s Cities
A new report by Brookings confirms that “big cities remain more unequal places by income than the rest of the country.” Where is the gap between wealth and poverty the greatest?
The Urban Election Onstage in Seattle
Chuck Wolfe comments on this week's mayoral election in Seattle, suggesting the pending populist model for New York City is already on display.
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
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
