Climate Action Plans

Beltway Traffic

D.C. Region Sets Goal to Reduce GHG Emissions From Transportation 50% by 2030

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the D.C. region—and the rest of the country. The D.C. region is committing to drastic actions to change their ways, however.

June 21, 2022 - DCist

A sports utility vehicle drives throw brown floodwaters that have inundated the entire area depicted in the picture.

Fairfax County, Virginia Releases Climate Adaptation Plan

Fairfax County, Virginia estimates that climate change caused $25 million in damages from 2010 to 2019. A new plan is meant to prevent worse losses in the years and decades to come.

May 23, 2022 - FFX Now

Chicago Transit Authority Green Line Train at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT

Chicago Updating its Climate Action Plan for 2022

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Earth Day announced the forthcoming release of a new plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare communities for the effects of climate change.

April 28, 2022 - Streetsblog Chicago

George Floyd

From Eco-Districts to Green Justice Zones

A great challenge facing urban planning in the short- and long-term future is how to complete green infrastructure and development without spurring gentrification and displacement.

October 27, 2020 - Joan Fitzgerald

Main Street

A Short-Term Approach to Climate Change Planning

The climate change discussion is usually defined by timelines that reach the end of the century, but some cities are preparing for the future of an altered climate by taking a short-term approach.

October 19, 2020 - Energy News Network

Hurricane Harvey Flooding

First Climate Action Plan Released in Houston

The planning legacy of Hurricane Harvey is becoming more clear in Houston, after the city released its first-ever Houston Climate Action Plan, just months after releasing the Resilient Houston plan.

April 28, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Olympia, Washington

Questioning Washington State's Commitment to Greenhouse Gas Reductions

Lawmakers in Washington state fell short of passing comprehensive legislation this year to meet long-term goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

April 13, 2020 - Crosscut

Cedar Rapids Flooding

Cedar Rapids Unveils Sustainability Plan

Cedar Rapids is prioritizing achievable actions with the new iGreenCR Action Plan.

December 13, 2019 - The Gazette (Cedar Rapids)

Washington State

Friday Funny: The Onion Gets Weird With Climate Politics

We really didn't see this one coming.

May 17, 2019 - The Onion

Electric Car Charging Stencil

New Developments Must Be EV Ready in Seattle

It's not the same as requiring that all new development have charging facilities and parking spots for electric vehicles, but it's close.

May 1, 2019 - The Urbanist

Vancouver Waterfront

For Vancouver’s Carbon Footprint Reduction Plan, 2030 is the New 2040

Four months after formally recognizing climate change as an emergency, the Vancouver City Council considers six large-scale changes to dramatically reduce city-wide carbon emissions.

April 26, 2019 - Vancouver Sun

San Diego Trolley

San Diego Unbundles Parking, Eliminates Parking Minimums and Sets Maximums

In addition to replacing parking minimums with parking maximums of one space per unit in transit corridors, the city council went a step further by requiring unbundling, that is, requiring separate payment for parking from the housing.

March 22, 2019 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Seattle, Washington

Electric Vehicle-Ready Parking Proposed for All New Seattle Buildings

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan proposed new electric vehicle parking requirements in the recent State of the City address, but the proposal is in keeping with the Seattle Climate Action Plan released in April 2018.

February 24, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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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.