Philadelphia

Freshly painted white crosswalk leading to yellow curb cut to sidewalk

Following Lawsuit, Philadelphia to Add or Fix 10,000 Curb Cuts

Disability rights advocates won a settlement that directs the city to improve accessibility on its public roads over the next 15 years.

October 19, 2022 - WHYY

A family exits from a rowhouse. Picture is identifiably from the 1980s based on the clothing fashion of the family.

Is it a Rowhouse, or a Rowhome?

Philadelphia has long been acknowledged as the capital of rowhouses in the United States. It’s becoming more common for those rowhouses to be referred to as rowhomes.

September 25, 2022 - BillyPenn

A group of Latino dancers and musicians perform in front of the Love sculpture in Philadelphia.

New Film, Set on a Philly Bus, Celebrates the Magic of the Latino Community

The Latino community gathers on a bus, and joy ensues, in the new short film "La Guagua 47."

September 15, 2022 - WHYY

Philadelphia SEPTA Station

Philadelphia Plans for a Transit Revolution

Three coordinated, ambitious, simultaneous planning initiatives are underway at SEPTA, the regional transportation authority for Greater Philadelphia.

September 1, 2022 - TransitCenter

View from behind three traffic cameras at night on busy freeway

Philadelphia Deems Speed Camera Project a Success

City officials say an automated traffic enforcement pilot program has reduced speeding and crashes along the corridor where cameras were installed.

August 18, 2022 - ABC 6

Victorian Townhomes

Philadelphia Wants To Address Racial Bias in Home Appraisals

The city convened a task force to assess the state of appraisal bias and recommend ways to improve equity in real estate appraisal.

August 2, 2022 - WHYY

Looking down from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway runs vertically through the skyline to the Washington Monument by Rudolf Siemering.

Philadelphia Launches Plan To Redesign Ben Franklin Parkway

The city wants to make the car-centric parkway more accessible and people-friendly.

June 16, 2022 - WHYY

Broadway Hotel, four-story single-room occupancy hotel in Portland, Oregon

The Return of Rooming Houses

Popular in the early 20th century, the rooming house fell out of favor, with the type now banned in many cities. With no end to the housing crisis in sight, cities are rethinking their regulation of this affordable housing option.

June 14, 2022 - Governing

Google Maps street view of Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia

Philadelphia Seeks Federal Funding to Improve One of its Deadliest Streets

Local officials hope to use federal infrastructure funding to make safety improvements on Roosevelt Boulevard, where more than a tenth of the city’s traffic deaths happen.

June 5, 2022 - Insurance Journal

View of Washington Avenue, Phialdelphia

Washington Avenue Road Diet Less Likely

After one city councilmember refused to advocate for changing parking rules in his district, Philadelphia’s Washington Avenue could end up with two different safety configurations.

May 31, 2022 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

City Hall Philadelphia

Philadelphia Leads the Way in Adaptive Reuse

Philadelphia, a city rife with historic architecture, seeks to incentivize more conversion of historic buildings into housing.

May 2, 2022 - Axios

Protected Bike Lane

Protected Bike Lanes Deliver Numerous Benefits, Study Says. But Is it Enough to Change State Law?

Advocates in Philadelphia are pushing state lawmakers to finally pass a law to make it easier to install protected bike lanes on state routes.

April 13, 2022 - PlanPhilly

SEPTA Station

Riders Getting Stuck in SEPTA Tunnels Due to Increased Security Measures

As ridership dropped during the pandemic, Philadelphia's transit agency started locking station doors to keep unhoused people from using the tunnels as shelter. Now, riders are becoming trapped inside.

March 21, 2022 - Billy Penn

On-Street Parking

Philadelphia 'Diversion Program' Prevents Evictions Through Mediation

A program that provides mediation between landlords and tenants has helped a majority of applicants avoid eviction, signaling a promising avenue for renter assistance as landlords seek to recoup COVID-era losses.

March 4, 2022 - Next City

Philadelphia, Chinatown

Equitable Development Plan Aims To Protect Philly's Chinatown

As the historic neighborhood experiences increased redevelopment around the new Rail Park, community activists are working to ensure older residents and businesses aren't displaced in the process.

March 2, 2022 - Next City

 Building in Washington Avenue Historic District

Why a Complete Streets Makeover Went Awry in Philadelphia

The city pulled the plug on a proposed street redesign after community groups criticized the public engagement process for not listening to all local voices.

February 28, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Pennsylvania

Will Philly's New Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Yield Results?

City leaders hope a new affordable housing law will increase the supply of affordable units in the city, but critics say the policy may lead to reduced construction and higher housing costs.

February 21, 2022 - Bisnow

Row Houses at 48th between Walton and Cedar, West Philadelphia

Philadelphia on Track to Build Record Number of Apartments in 2022

A researcher from the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University tells a tale of two housing markets—rental and for-sale—in the City of Brotherly Love.

January 4, 2022 - WHYY

A pair of bikes are leaning against a street sign on an urban street in Philadelphia.

New Philly Bike Racks Blend Form, Function, Fire Hydrant Access

The clever designs serve multiple purposes—providing more bike parking while getting cars out of illegal parking spaces.

December 29, 2021 - Next City

William Penn

'Demodelphia' Hiring More Preservationists

To protect more historic properties from rampant demolition, Philadelphia is staffing up its historic preservation department.

December 20, 2021 - WHYY

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.