Urban Development

San Antonio Turns 300
Alamo City enters the 300 club.

Growth Requires New Water Supply Solutions in Colorado
Colorado cities located north of Denver consider the future of water as the region grows. New infrastructure and new partnerships will be necessary to meet demand for water in the future.

BQX Streetcar Lacks Funding in de Blasio's Proposed Budget
It's been awhile since the proposed BQX Streetcar project had any forward momentum in New York City.

Denver Bans 'Slot Homes,' But Not Before They Changed Neighborhoods
Aerial photos show just how completely some areas of the city were transformed before the building typology was eliminated earlier this week.

Portland Makes ADU Incentives Permanent
Development fees can add some $15,000 to the cost of building a home in Portland. Residents adding an accessory dwelling unit to their property won't need to worry about those expenses, as long as they don't use the limit for short-term rentals.

New Citywide Mapping Tool Marks a New Era for Planning in Boston
The Boston Planning & Development Agency released a powerful new map of the entire city—complete with layers like shadows, flood plains, and zoning districts—to the public.

6 Ways Big Box Stores Harm Communities
A compendium of big box dissent.

Report: More Mortgage Interest Deduction Goes to the Wealthy After Changes
Changes to the Mortgage Interest Deduction ostensibly made the housing subsidy more progressive. The real consequences of the change, however, make the deduction "significantly more inequitable that it was in years past."

New Revitalization Toolkit for Smaller Legacy Cities
Not every Legacy City has the size and cultural cache of a Pittsburgh or a New Orleans to aid in its recovery, but there are resources available for smaller cities examining pragmatic revitalization strategies.

A $130 Million Infusion for Detroit's 'Strategic Neighborhood Fund'
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Planning Director Maurice Cox announced a major new funding initiative to support the city's Strategic Neighborhood Fund. Funding will support projects in seven target neighborhoods.

Lawsuit Challenges the Trump Administration's Approach to Fair Housing
Housing Advocates have filed a lawsuit to press the Department of Housing and Urban Development to enforce requirements of the Fair Housing Act.

Doug Ford, Candidate for Ontario Premier, Would Open Toronto Greenbelt to Development
A prominent conservative with an infamous name is promoting single-family home development in the Toronto greenbelt as a way to release pressure on the Toronto housing market.

Zoned Out: Seattle Prioritizes Single-Family Residential
In Seattle, most (88 percent) of the city's new housing is being developed in a few small, already dense areas around the city. Most of the city is reserved for single-family housing.

California as a Model for Housing Legislation
The Golden State may have the nation's most severe housing crisis, but there is one area of state housing policy where it shines, becoming a model for other states that want to advance accessory dwelling units, also called granny or in-law units.

How the Lights in Our Cities Became Too Bright
“Why are lighting designers and experts nearly unified in their belief that outdoor lighting in past years has been excessive?”

Can Density Prevent Diabetes?
In Australia, a new study will determine the best ways to make high-density developments healthy places to live.

California to Require Solar on New Residential Buildings
The California Energy Commission will decide on new energy standards for residential construction this week.

Amazon, Seattle Go to War Over Proposed Tax
Amazon, a company with cities throwing money at its feet all over the country, has decided to halt construction on an expansion in its hometown over a proposed "head tax."

As Drought Returns to Texas, Report Recommends Stricter Rules on Outdoor Water Use
A report from a coalition of nonprofits recommends, among other restrictions, allowing outdoor watering only twice per week.

Op-Ed: 'Public Mood' Has Turned Against Cars in Cities
A survey of recent planning decisions demonstrates that cities are no longer necessarily looking to more and bigger highways to solve their traffic problems.
Pagination
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)