Urban Development

Pop-up park with people sitting at yellow outdoor furniture.

Arlington's 'pop-up park' activates a vacant plaza

Third spaces don't have to be permanent.

July 19, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Workers building paved two-sided bike and walking trail next to single-family homes in Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit greenway brings revival — and fears of displacement

The planned Joe Louis Greenway is already bringing change to the neighborhoods near it.

July 19, 2026 - Bridge Detroit

Close-up on :City Hall" carved into stone arch with gargoyle face in middle on Pasadena City hall entrance arch.

The unsung bureaucrat: Planners in film and TV

Is there anything sexy about urban planning?

July 17, 2026 - Jake Pitre

Back view of a woman in hat and coat standing on street in city at night.

How urban design makes the world unsafe for women — and how we can change that

An industrial designer explains how cities, cars and other everyday items could better serve women.

July 13, 2026 - Fast Company

Border crossing to Mexico at San Ysidro, California.

San Diego approves 5,000-home plan near Mexico border

The rezoning makes way for over 5,100 new housing units near San Ysidro.

July 12, 2026 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Busy pedestrian street in San Jose, California.

Survey: Americans want walkable amenities, but not dense housing

While 64% of Americans say they want walkable amenities, only 44% want to see apartments in their neighborhoods.

July 12, 2026 - Realtor

Power plant on the Potomac River.

Former power plant in Alexandria to become walkable waterfront neighborhood with 800 homes

The Potomac River Generating Station was once the biggest source of air pollution in northern Virginia.

July 10, 2026 - Axios

Young couple sitting at a small sidewalk cafe table.

Planning for Love, Part 2: What happens to dating in a car-centric world?

A survey of over 150 adults about their dating lives reveals stark differences based on their neighborhood's walkability.

July 10, 2026 - Hannah Kosoff

Children walking on a wooden walkway over green creek bed in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen is losing its cool

In a city long designed to maximize light during dark Scandinavian winters, climate change is forcing the Danish capital to rethink its relationship with the sun.

July 9, 2026 - Emilie K. Adin

3d diagram of three different city morphologies with various building heights.

New study visualizes how city shapes impact mobility

Whether circular or linear, the shape and layout of cities affects how their residents get around.

July 8, 2026 - Complexity Science Hub

Rendering of public plaza with peopple and benches at night in California forever planned development.

Tech investors lobby to bypass environmental review for 'California Forever' project

The backers of a proposed new community in the California Bay Area want the state to approve an 18-year-old environmental review that would let them go ahead with a major shipyard project.

July 1, 2026 - CALmatters

Bright pink building for Out of the Closet thrift store in San Francisco, California.

Thrift stores, public libraries and genderless bathrooms: How public amenities become trans infrastructure

Amenities like ample public transit, affordable retail and non-gendered bathroom spaces can make cities more safe and welcoming for transgender residents — and everyone else.

July 1, 2026 - Greater Greater Washington

Buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh downtown tax diversion plan draws criticism for lack of transparency

A proposed new development tax faces opposition from transit advocates.

June 29, 2026 - Public Source

Child and adult man playing with kite in park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on a sunny day.

Is the built environment partly to blame for population decline?

The way communities are designed could be contributing to lower birth rates.

June 28, 2026 - Architect Magazine

Group of young people sitting at outdoor shaded table laughing and talking with e-bikes and dog next to them.

After Culdesac's success in Tempe, Mesa approves new 1,000-unit 'car-light' development

Culdesac Mesa will take the same transit-oriented approach with a compact, walkable design and access to transit and shared mobility options.

June 26, 2026 - ABC 15

People sitting on grass in park in Milan, Italy with grove of willows and a vertical forest skyscraper in background.

Planning for Love, Part 1: The link between urban form and dating

A brief exploration of dating through history highlights how the spaces in which we live and move shape our social lives and relationships.

June 26, 2026 - Hannah Kosoff

Collage of six book covers.

10 great urban planning summer reads

Wherever you're going (or staying) this summer, here are some suggestions for books to bring along.

June 12, 2026 - Stephanie Rouse

Silver and glass angled entrance to Penn Station subterranean train station in New York City.

Which US cities have the most housing near transit?

Concentrating housing near frequent, reliable transit offers advantages to both residents and transit agencies, who can serve more riders more efficiently.

June 10, 2026 - Urban Institute

People walking in downtown Detroit, Michigan.

The nation's 10 'stickiest' downtowns

How often do residents visit your downtown?

June 9, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

People waiting at a covered bus stop in Miami, Florida.

Report: Just 10% of US households live near 'frequent, reliable' transit

The analysis highlights how sprawl and a lack of transit investment perpetuate car dependency for most Americans.

June 7, 2026 - Governing

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.