Public Health
Even in ‘Food Deserts,’ Independent Grocers Struggle to Survive
Government support has helped open stores in underserved communities, but cost and scale make it difficult for small businesses to survive long-term.
SoCal City Bans Smoking on Multifamily Properties
The law prohibits smoking tobacco or cannabis in both indoor and outdoor spaces, prompting backlash from residents.
Mobility as a Social Determinant of Health
A public health expert calls on transportation planners to ensure all residents have access to reliable transportation.
Protecting Vulnerable Older Adults From Extreme Heat
People over 65 are at particular risk during heat waves and other climate disasters.
Heat-Related ER Visits Soar in Florida
The state has the most heat-related hospital visits in the nation, but efforts to create protections for outdoor workers and other vulnerable residents have been stymied by state legislators.
A Place to Recover from Illness: How Medical Respite Programs Help Unhoused People Heal
For people experiencing homelessness, recuperating after a hospitalization is difficult. Medical respite programs can help. Why aren't they more common?
Thousands of NYC Shelter Residents Lack Air Conditioning
Even in the depths of extreme heat, many shelters prohibit residents from installing AC units.
Deadly Contact Burns Rising in the Southwest
As heat waves become more frequent and severe, hospitals are seeing more patients admitted with serious, sometimes life-threatening burns from asphalt and other outdoor surfaces.
Federal and State Responses to Extreme Heat
Governments are mobilizing resources to address the impacts of longer and more intense heat waves on public health and infrastructure.
Busting Myths About Homelessness
Challenging common misconceptions about unhoused Californians with data.
EPA Report Highlights Dire Impacts of Climate Change
The latest edition of the “Climate Change Indicators in the United States” report highlights the severe and widespread impacts of climate change on health and the environment, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate these effects.
California Faces Intense Heat Wave, Power Shutoffs
The state is bracing for a heat dome that will bring temperatures into the 120s and little nighttime relief.
Cities Replacing Fireworks With Drone Shows
Fireworks shows often lead to lost pets, disruptions for local wildlife, polluted water, and wildfires. Drone shows offer a safer celebration.
California Lawmakers Seek to Fund Sober Housing
A 2016 law prohibits state-funded supportive housing from mandating sobriety, but supporters of a proposed bill say a new approach is needed in light of the opioid crisis.
Phoenix Heat Deaths Rose by 1,000 Percent in 10 Years
The last decade saw a lethal combination of higher temperatures, rapid population growth, and rising eviction rates.
California Cities Suspend Natural Gas Bans Following Court Ruling
A Ninth Circuit court ruling forced Berkeley to reverse its ban on natural gas in new buildings, prompting other cities to suspend their own efforts to promote all-electric buildings.
Austin Bans Windowless Bedrooms
Thousands of University of Texas students live in rooms with no natural light. Many report detrimental mental and physical health impacts.
Sibling Study Highlights Impact of Green Neighborhoods on Public Health
More evidence that access to green spaces and walkable communities improve public health outcomes.
Lead Pipes Make Up Nearly One Tenth of US Water Service Lines
A decade after the Flint crisis captured national attention, tens of thousands of US water transmission lines can still leach dangerous chemicals.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Pagination
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.
University of Southern California
City of Meridian
University of Calgary
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Detroit Regional Partnership
San Joaquin LAFCo
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.