Urban Development

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San Jose City Council Supports New Billboards

San Jose, California is suddenly taking a much more permissive approach to large billboards.

October 4, 2018 - The Mercury News

Pedestrian Bridge

15 Cities, 1 Mission: Build More Housing

A coalition of 15 cities in the Boston area agreed to rapidly build new housing to relieve pressure on the regional housing market.

October 4, 2018 - The Boston Globe

Amazon Smart Home

Amazon's First Forays Into Homebuilding Are Worth Watching

A new player with a very familiar name has entered into the residential homebuilding market.

October 4, 2018 - Yahoo Finance

SEPTA bus

In Philadelphia, Improving Bus Service by Tackling Traffic Congestion

With buses crawling along through downtown Philadelphia, the city has plans to step up law enforcement to help them move faster.

October 4, 2018 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Stahl House Los Angeles

Los Angeles Launches Wave of Community Plan Updates

With a promise to update all 35 of its community plans by 2024, Los Angeles took a big step toward that goal this week by launching new planning processes in nine community plan areas.

October 3, 2018 - Los Angeles Department of City Planning

Silicon Valley, facing Downtown San Jose

Two Sides of the California Rent Control Debate, in Silicon Valley and Beyond

In California, rent control continues to be a hotly contested issue at both the local and state levels.

October 3, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Iowa

As Tax Increment Financing Districts Sunset in Iowa City, Questions Abound

Iowa state law requires tax increment financing to sunset after 20 years. Cedar Rapids is in the process of evaluating some of its TIF districts after they expired this summer.

October 3, 2018 - Cedar Rapids Gazette

City Apartments

Proposed Density Bonus Program Evolves in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is sweetening the deal in a proposal that would offer developers density bonuses if they send money to the city's Housing Trust Fund.

October 3, 2018 - PlanPhilly

Rent

A New, Renter-Friendly Politics Emerges

There are signs that politicians at every level are responding to the concerns of renters like never before. If only renter-friendly housing policies were matters of simple consensus.

October 2, 2018 - Brookings

San Francisco, California

Open for a Month, San Francisco's Transit Terminal Shut Down Due to Cracked Beams

The $2.2 billion Salesforce Transit Center, which opened to much celebration on Aug. 11, closed down abruptly Sept. 25 after workers found a cracked steel beam. A second cracked beam was later found. Work began Sunday to shore up the structure.

October 1, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

BART Station

BART Development Law Signed

Under a law signed today by Governor Jerry Brown, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) gains the power to rezone its properties. It's a decisive victory for state preemption over local control in the face of California's housing crisis.

October 1, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Toronto Construction

Waiving Development Fees to Spur Apartment Construction

One way to increase housing supply is to make it cheaper to building multi-family housing, like Toronto recently decided to do.

October 1, 2018 - CTV News Toronto

Stone Arch Bridge

Triplexes Replace Fourplexes in Revised Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Minneapolis planners have released a revise draft of the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan, cutting back on some of the plan's most controversial aspects, but still maintaining an ambitiously urban approach.

October 1, 2018 - MinnPost

San Jose, California

Downtown San Jose Could Get Taller

In the Bay Area's biggest city, the debate over density pits two economic drivers against each other.

October 1, 2018 - Mercury News

San Francisco city

San Francisco’s Housing Woes: How the Past Informs the Present

A zoning history dating back to the 19th century still has significant impacts on the city’s housing in the present day.

October 1, 2018 - Collectors Weekly

Maryvale Arizona Desert West Community Center Skateboard Park

Creative Placemaking's Role in Enhancing Community Safety

Efforts across the country show that these projects have the added benefit of improving community safety.

September 30, 2018 - Urban Institute

Court Restores 'Doors and Windows' Code Enforcement Ordinance in Philadelphia

One of Philadelphia's most potent code enforcement tools is back in effect after the state Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling by a lower court.

September 29, 2018 - PlanPhilly

Major League Soccer Comes Calling in St. Louis, Again

Despite the disappointment of losing a stadium deal to the financial concerns of St. Louis voters, Major League Soccer is willing to give the city another look.

September 28, 2018 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Downtown Cleveland

Report: Not Enough Housing Supply to Meet Demand in Downtown Cleveland

The findings of a new report might run counter to common perceptions about Cleveland's shrinking population. Downtown Cleveland could, and should, provide more housing opportunities, according to the report.

September 28, 2018 - The Plain Dealer

Hubway Bikeshare

More Affordable Housing Needed to Keep Pace with Boston's Growth

Boston's housing goals were set in 2014, but had to be revised as the city's population growth exceeds previous estimates.

September 28, 2018 - WBUR

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.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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.