Planetizen Newswire
Keep up with essential planning news and commentary, delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
Houston
A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.
Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge
With more than 50,000 acres of parkland, Houston is one of many cities to notice an increase in use of natural areas. Natural Resources Manager Kelly Ondracek is drafting a plan to protect the natural lands from development.
Next City
The final environmental impact statement for the controversial North Houston Highway Improvement Project is available for public comment, courtesy of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Community Impact Newspaper
A fitness tracking app reports dramatic increases in bike ridership since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bloomberg CityLab
Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.
Houston Chronicle
The Federal Railroad Administration has granted two key permissions for Texas Central to operate a high-speed trail between Houston and Dallas.
Houston Chronicle
Evictions incur immense costs for the public and nonprofit sector, according to new analysis from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.
Houston Chronicle
The city of Houston this week launched an app for its Community Connector shuttle service as part of a ten-month pilot project.
Houston Chronicle
Disaster recovery in the Houston area has been inconsistent, with low-income residents of color continuing to struggle to put their lives and communities back together.
Urban Edge
Former Houston METRO Board Member Christof Spieler highlights the racism embedded even in the way transit agencies were created.
Urban Edge
Zoning in the U.S. was originally intended to keep noxious uses out of residential areas. Around Houston, which famously lacks a traditional zoning system, polluting uses are still granted broad permission to operate in residential areas.
One Breath Partnership
A recent article about Houston residents fleeing the city for College Station reads a lot like articles about New Yorkers decamping for less urban climes.
Houston Chronicle
The neighborhood of Montrose in Houston has undertaken a self-funded study to assess the facts on the ground about walkability in the neighborhood.
Community Impact Newspaper
The city of Houston is embarking on an ambitious plan to reshape how new development in the city prioritizes walkability, and deprioritizes the automobile.
Houston Chronicle
Blog post
Nolan Gray of George Mason University and Adam A. Millsap of the Charles Koch Institute write about a recent article they authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
A new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research highlights the state of housing the Houston and Harris County, and more specifically, the historically Black neighborhood of Settegast in northeast Houston.
Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research
The nation's most significant rollback to date of a state reopening plan occurred Monday when California Gov. Gavin Newsom closed seven categories of indoor businesses statewide and an additional six categories of indoor operations in 31 counties.
San Francisco Chronicle
While not conclusive, evidence suggests that relatively few transmissions of the coronavirus occurred during the widespread protests that followed the death of George Floyd due to the outdoor settings, being in motion and wearing of masks.
The Washington Post
Advocates and local residents are expressing concern about a lack of direct support in the Houston Climate Action Plan for underserved neighborhoods that have already experienced some of the worst effects of climate change.
One Breath Partnership
