Urban Development

Earthquake damage

Planning for Structural Safety in an Era of Environmental Risks

Resilience to the impacts of climate change and other forms of natural disaster will require new levels of safety in the built environment.

May 23, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Englewood Southside Neighborhood

Chicago Puts Thousands of Vacant Lots on the Market for $1

Chicago continues to lose population from parts of the city, so vacant properties are multiplying. The city's "Large Lots" program aims to return vacant properties back to control by residents of the neighborhoods.

May 22, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Minneapolis Riverfront

Minneapolis' New Mayor Marshals Affordable Housing Resources

Minneapolis is working to set the pace nationally for pro-housing initiatives focusing specifically on ending segregation.

May 22, 2018 - Next City

Nashville TOD Plan

Advocates Push for More Affordable Housing With Nashville TOD Plan

Nashville's first transit oriented development plan, focusing on the neighborhood of Donelson, is facing opposition from affordable housing advocates.

May 22, 2018 - The Tennessean

Salesforce Tower and 181 Fremont

California Getting Way More New Jobs Than New Housing

Even with tons of building permits already issued this year, the outlook for the state’s affordability crisis is pretty grim.

May 21, 2018 - The Mercury News

Chicago Spire

Two Skyscrapers Will Finally Rise Above the Failed Location of the Chicago Spire

Two towers, one reaching 1,100 feet and the other 850 feet, will take their place in the Chicago skyline.

May 21, 2018 - The Architect's Newspaper

Texas Outdoors

In Texas, More Sprawl Means More Homes in the Path of Tornadoes

Revisiting one day in 2012, a reporter finds that many of the Dallas-Fort Worth areas affected by the storms were barely inhabited 20 years ago.

May 20, 2018 - The Texas Tribune

Vacant Lot in Detroit

Where Vacant Properties Are Still Increasing in Number

In some cities and neighborhoods, the number of vacant properties is the only thing growing.

May 20, 2018 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Hollywood Sign

L.A.'s Anti-Density Advocate Still Hopes to Make Planners 'Uncomfortable'

One of the main forces behind Measure S spills her thoughts on Hollywood, homelessness and what’s wrong with planning in Los Angeles.

May 20, 2018 - Curbed Los Angeles

San Francisco Construction

Major Development Slows to a Snail's Pace in San Francisco

A bustling economy and a worsening housing crisis isn't enough to inspire a building boom in San Francisco—quite the opposite in fact.

May 19, 2018 - SocketSite

New York City Greenwich

Bill to Increase Multi-Family FAR Breaks Along Surprising Political Lines in New York

A state bill would allow for higher floor area ratio in New York City, designed to alleviate housing costs in the city, has gained most support from legislators representing areas outside the city.

May 19, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Downtown Dallas

Dallas Considers a Major Revision to its Tree Ordinance

Neither environmentalists nor developers like the city’s current regulations around tree removal, but there is praise on both sides for the “smart and nimble” new version.

May 18, 2018 - D Magazine

Seattle Homeless

The Cost of Solving Homelessness in Seattle: $400 Million

It’s "dramatically higher" than any number under discussion, and not even close to what the city will raise with its new tax on large businesses.

May 17, 2018 - Crosscut

Controversial Redevelopment Plan Pleases No One in Pittsburgh

Affordable housing advocates, developers, and planning commissioners all got a bad taste in their mouth on this one.

May 17, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cupertino, California

Apple Could Make Northern Virginia a Tech Industry Powerhouse

Apple is pondering a major move into Northern Virginia. For comparison, state officials have pitched sites covering about half the desired size of Amazon's second headquarters and two-thirds the size of the Pentagon.

May 16, 2018 - The Washington Post

San Antonio, Texas

San Pedro Creek Culture Park Adds to San Antonio's Waterfront Amenities

The new San Pedro Creek Culture Park is being touted as a celebration of Latinx culture.

May 16, 2018 - The Architects Newspaper

Edina, Minnesota

Density Battles in Affluent Suburbs

The city of Edina, Minnesota, provides an example of the suburban reaction to a wave of multi-family residential construction.

May 16, 2018 - MinnPost

Iowa

The 'Missing Middle' Fills a Gap in Cedar Rapids

Developers are adding an unprecedented level of new multi-family residential construction. Most of the projects are examples of missing middle housing typologies.

May 15, 2018 - The Gazette

Logan Square Target on Elston Avenue

Dense Development Generates More Property Taxes Than Big Box Stores in Chicago

After examining property taxes for Target, Family Dollar, and Liberty Bank in Chicago, Steven Vance found that nearby dense development paid more per square foot than the big box developments.

May 15, 2018 - Chicago Cityscape

Seattle, Washington

Seattle Reaches Compromise on Controversial Tax for Affordable Housing

The Seattle City Council, prompted by pressure from Mayor Jenny Durkan, approved a smaller version of the "Head Tax" that provoked the ire of Amazon.

May 15, 2018 - The Urbanist

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

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.