Urban Development
On the Ballot in Alameda: The End of Single-Family Zoning
Voters in Alameda, a city of nearly 80,000 people on an island in the East San Francisco Bay Area, will vote to end a prohibition on multi-family housing that has been in place since 1973.
The Social Dynamics of Houston's Urban Expansion
A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.
Strange Days: Outrage Absent as Businesses Reclaim Parking Spots
It took a pandemic, but the worldwide effort to move restaurant and retail businesses outside, at the expense of parking, is proving far less controversial than it would have before the coronavirus swept the globe.
A Pro-Development Approach to Housing Affordability and Economic Growth
Decades of building housing on the fringes of metropolitan areas have mired the United States in a housing affordability crisis defined by a widening gap between the haves and the have nots.
Can L.A. Accomplish Affordability with 'Housing Plus, Plus, Plus'?
Alfred Fraijo Jr., partner at Sheppard Mullin, shares frustration with what he sees as a state inaction on housing and L.A.'s legacy of piecemeal planning and outdated zoning.
Creative Placemaking a Boon for Underserved Communities, Report Says
The work of Chicago urban planner and developer Theaster Gates provides a proof of concept in a new report from the Urban Land Institute.
Priority on Equity Gives Hope for Chicago's Transit-Oriented Development Plans
The city of Chicago's Equitable Transit Oriented Development Policy Plan prioritizes three key strategies for bringing equity to transit-oriented development.
Ambitious New Boston Common Master Plan Revealed
The oldest city park in the United States, used as a cow pasture until the 19th century, is slated for a major upgrade.
Lawyers Taking the Single-Family Zoning Fight to a Connecticut Town
Open Communities Alliance, along with law students and professors at a fair housing development clinic at Yale Law School, have proposed a development meant to trigger the exclusionary zoning code in the town of Woodbridge, Connecticut.
Judge Throws Out Plans for New Residential Skyscraper on Manhattan's Upper West Side
A residential skyscraper proposed for Manhattan's Upper West Side included a mechanical void that predated new rules in the city prohibiting the height-enhancing building practice. A judge still rejected the project as planned.
How COVID Impacts the Future of Light Rail in Austin
The budget for Austin’s massive transportation plan was cut by nearly a third in the wake of the pandemic, but a tax rate increase to help pay for it is still on the ballot for November.
Alamo Master Plan Thrown Into Disarray
Remember that $450 million plan to renovate The Alamo in time for the 300th anniversary of the battle? It's in trouble.
Landmark Environmental Justice Law Signed in New Jersey
New Jersey is now home to one of the "most stringent" environmental justice laws in the country.
Adaptive Reuse More Popular Than Ever, Study Says
The past decade saw more old commercial buildings transformed into residential buildings than any decade previous.
New Form-Based Neighborhood Development Code Approved in Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky, located just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, has implemented a fundamental shift in the city's planning philosophy by adopting a new form-based Neighborhood Development Code.
Newly Exclusionary Zoning Expected for Approval in Philadelphia Neighborhood
The Philadelphia City Council is expected to approve new zoning for Society Hill over the objections of the Planning Commission and city planning staff.
As Vacancy Rates Climb in New York's Rental Market, Landlords Blame New Rent Control Law
Vacancy rates in New York City have climbed to unexpected heights in 2020, and landlords aren't pinning all the blame on a pandemic-induced urban exodus.
Covid-19 Outdoor Dining Rules Could Last Through 2021 in Philadelphia
Emergency outdoor dining regulations approved in June and set to expired in December could now be extended through the coming year.
Wall Street Wagering on a Permanent Suburban Renter Class
Expectations that the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic will create a wave of homeowners leaving the market, whether by choice or necessity, are driving big acquisitions by private equity firms and Wall Street investors.
Union Station Redesign Gets a Placemaking Do Over
Criticisms of a draft plan to revamp D.C.'s Union Station have described the proposal as far too concerned with car storage.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
