Urban Development

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

April 30, 2025 - Next City

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Man sitting on bench sillhouetted against golden hour trees in tranquil park.

‘Smart Surfaces’ Policy Guide Offers Advice for Building and Maintaining Urban Tree Canopies

Healthy, robust tree canopies can reduce the impacts of extreme heat and improve air quality.

April 30, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Low view of Glendale Narrows section of Los Angeles River with concrete bottom and cloudy storm sky over head.

From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.

April 29, 2025 - The Planning Report

Children and adults biking and hanging out on an Open Street closed to vehicles in New York City during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Open Streets Organizers Call for City Support

The number of open streets projects has dropped year after year as volunteer groups struggle to fund and staff them.

April 29, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of residential street in Los Angeles with palm trees and hazy city in distance.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience

Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

April 27, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

"Public EV Charging" sign with logo stenciled on black asphalt in parking lot.

The Future of EV Charging Stations and Urban Planning

Explore the future of EV charging in cities and discover urban planning strategies for integrating electric vehicle infrastructure and promoting sustainable transportation.

April 22, 2025 - Devin Partida

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

April 21, 2025 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

April 21, 2025 - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

April 21, 2025 - Axios

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Computer screen with map, numbers, and lines.

How Data-Driven Research Is Shaping Sustainable Urban Development

Explore how data-driven research is revolutionizing sustainable urban development, creating smarter, greener, and more resilient cities for the future.

April 17, 2025 - Devin Partida

Aerial view of oil field in California with pumpjacks at sunset.

From Blight to Benefit: Early Results From California’s Equitable Cleanup Program

The Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program is reshaping brownfield redevelopment by prioritizing projects in low-income and environmental justice communities, emphasizing equity, transparency, and community benefits.

April 10, 2025 - The Othering & Belonging Institute

Green trees, some with fall colors, line a walkway in front of the Wisconsin state capitol dome in Madison, WI.

How Madison’s Tree Planting Efforts Are Growing a Healthier Community

Madison’s annual tree planting initiative is enhancing environmental resilience, public health, and community livability by adding 1,400 carefully selected trees citywide, with strong community and institutional support for urban forestry.

April 10, 2025 - The Badger Herald

Corner convenience store with red awning and children's rocking horse toy out front in brick building in Queens, New York City

What the ‘Walk Score’ Misses

A popular walkability assessment omits key factors that impact different demographics and can direct development resources to already wealthy neighborhoods.

April 8, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Oil well on hilltop in Los Angeles with city neighborhoods in background.

Tracking the Invisible: Methane Leaks From LA’s Neighborhood Oil Sites

Environmental advocates are using infrared technology to monitor and document methane leaks from neighborhood oil sites, filling regulatory gaps and pushing for stronger protections to safeguard community health and the climate.

April 7, 2025 - LAist

Downtown Billings, Montana with mountains in background.

Montana Bill Promotes Parking Reform

A bill before the Montana state senate would bar cities from requiring more than one parking spot per new housing unit.

April 7, 2025 - Montana Free Press

Looking up at office buildings from various eras in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minnesota Seeks State Support for Office Conversions

The 30% “CUB credit” would support the conversion of buildings 15 years or older into any use that “will return that vacant area to an income-producing, habitable condition.”

April 7, 2025 - Minnesota Reformer

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.