15-Minute City

Suburban outdoor mall in muted colors with decorative tower.

Is the City Moving to the Suburbs?

Is the recent trend to build more walkable suburbs a sign of sustainable change?

April 2, 2024 - Governing

Rendering of electric scooters, electric cars, light rail train, and apartments in background.

Arizona’s ‘Car-Free’ Community Takes Shape

Culdesac Tempe has been welcoming residents since last year.

February 14, 2024 - The Cool Down

Aerial view of suburban sprawl with large single-family homes near Dallas, Texas.

The Changing Shape of American Suburbs

Housing costs and availability are pushing more American households, including young families, to suburbs and exurbs — and they’re demanding changes.

February 13, 2024 - Business Insider

Flags on tall flagpoles with RTP logo and North Carolina flag at Research Triangle Park.

North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park Could Upzone for Mixed-Use, Housing

A new proposal reimagines the primarily industrial and office-oriented area to a ‘15-minute city.’

December 12, 2023 - The News & Observer

Ground-up view of man using wheelchair waiting to board a light blue bus.

Commentary: Avoiding Ableism in 15-Minute Cities

One author calls on planners to challenge assumptions that exclude people with mobility challenges and other disabilities.

November 21, 2023 - The Conversation

Pedewstrianized street paved with red bricks flanked by historic four-story buildings in Dublin, Ireland

How Walkable ‘Activity Centers’ Can Reduce Driving

Encouraging mixed-use neighborhoods that help reduce vehicle miles driven and put urban amenities within easy walking distance is possible with surprisingly modest policy tweaks.

July 12, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of Tempe, Arizona with mountains in background

Arizona ‘Car-Free’ Neighborhood Nears Opening

Culdesac Tempe bans personal cars in exchange for access to scooters, bike facilities, and free transit. Is that enough to reduce car ownership in auto-centric Arizona?

June 20, 2023 - Yahoo News

Aerial view of historic Oxford, England street with old buildings and red double-decker bus

When Planning Issues Become ‘Culture Wars’

‘Commonsense’ urbanism projects are being painted by opponents as sinister plots to limit movement and erode property rights.

June 1, 2023 - Governing

Aerial view of farmers' market with white booths in downtown Boise, Idaho

Planners Look to ‘Activity Centers’ for Sustainable Development

Existing hubs of ‘hyperlocal’ economic activity provide a model for urban density.

March 23, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Woman in car stuck in traffic, leaning on her elbow in frustration

Friday Funny: Tired of Walkability? Try the ‘15-Hour City’

Worried that a 15-minute city will restrict your freedoms? Welcome to the alternative.

March 10, 2023 - McSweeney's

Crosswalk with pedestrians in front of four-story red brick buildings in New Haven, Connecticut

There is Nothing Illiberal About Walkability

Despite recent claims to the contrary, the concept of the 15-minute city promotes freedom of mobility and universal access to a city’s resources and amenities.

March 2, 2023 - The Washington Post

New York City sidewalk with outdoor dining patio with black and white striped umbrellas and black barriers protecting diners from traffic

The Slow Retreat of Pandemic-Era Outdoor Dining Programs Continues

It’s been almost three years since the political dynamics of outdoor dining in the United States shifted, suddenly and overwhelmingly. Increasingly, the status quo is being restored.

March 1, 2023 - James Brasuell

Rendering of Revitalized Collision Bend Courtesy of Bedrock

Dan Gilbert’s Foray Into Cleveland Could Transform the City’s Waterfront

The public has been getting a close look at a proposed mega-project at Tower City Center in Cleveland that could eventually yield 3.5 million square feet of construction.

February 26, 2023 - Cleveland.com

Cleveland

Cleveland: The Nation’s Most Equitably Walkable City

A new study assesses which cities have the broadest access to walkable neighborhoods.

February 8, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Walkable, mixed-use neighborhood in Barcelona, Spain

Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City

USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’

February 8, 2023 - USA Today

Street in Paris Latin Quarter with row of bicycles, cobblestone street, and pedestrians

What Is a 15-Minute City?

The buzzword recently popularized by urbanists describes an urban form that dominated cities prior to the rise of autocentric planning.

December 28, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Streets and buildings in historic Oxford, England.

Misinformation, Threats Follow Oxford’s ‘Traffic Filtering’ Plan

A plan to limit the number of automobiles in Oxford and Oxfordshire has provoked a very contemporary form of resistance—online misinformation and threats.

December 28, 2022 - Cities Today

Musician playing guitar in front of outdoor seating and sidewalk vendors in Houston, Texas

Houston Development Aims to Create Hyper-Walkable, Micro-Living Neighborhood

The 17-acre Second Ward project has spurred both optimism for a more walkable city and concerns about displacement and gentrification.

November 21, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Los Angeles Street

Could L.A. Be a 15-Minute City?

Advocates argue that even famously car-centric Los Angeles can become a place where residents can easily access their daily needs without getting behind the wheel.

July 25, 2022 - LAist

Complete Street Vancouver

Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’

A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.

May 20, 2022 - Vancouver Sun

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

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.