Urban Development

View of Spanish-style buildings in Presidio, San Francisco with city skyline in background.

Bay Area 2050+ Plan Prepares Region for Nearly 5 Feet of Sea Level Rise

The regional plan includes its first ever resilience project list, prioritizing infrastructure projects that can protect the area from sea level rise.

March 27, 2026 - Claycord

Theatre in Tehran drawing.

War and Place: The Iran you Don't see in the News

The world is watching Iran right now through the narrow lens of conflict. When governments see the world through a target reticle, smoke fills the frame — and the places people actually live get ignored.

March 27, 2026 - Ryan Smolar

The site of the former Parkside LIRR station of the Rockaway Beach Branch, on Metropolitan Avenue between Selfridge Street and Trotting Course Lane in Forest Hills / Rego Park, Queens.

Mamdani Budget Funds Queensway, Dimming Hope for Reactivated Long Island Rail

Supporters of a proposed rail extension say building the elevated park as proposed would make it harder to bring trains back to this part of Queens.

March 26, 2026 - StreetsBlog NYC

Historic turn of 20th century building in downtown Galveston, Texas with red streetcar passing by and large cruise ship visible in background.

A Historic Texas Beach Town Faces Existential Growth Questions

Galveston, Texas is growing — and so are questions about its land use strategy.

March 23, 2026 - Houston Chronicle

A dark, empty urban alley at night.

Red Cities, Blue Cities and (Property) Crime: A Sequel

Like urban violent crime, urban property crime is often a political football. Republicans claim that crime in Democrat-run cities is proof that Democrats are incapable of maintaining public order. Do they have a point?

March 23, 2026 - Michael Lewyn

Yellow and black light rail train pulling into elevated station in Culver City, California.

Study: Clarifying California’s Vague Definition of Transit Stops Could Make 1.3M Acres Eligible for Density Bonuses

According to researchers, no California jurisdictions are using the broadest possible definition of a transit stop.

March 22, 2026 - Streetsblog California

Person walking down wide sidewalk next to restaurant patio tables in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Why Walk Scores Don’t Tell the Whole Story

A popular measure of walkability only measures proximity, not safety or comfort.

March 22, 2026 - CU Boulder Today

Two people walking under large trees in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California.

LA County to Make ‘Historic’ $78M Investment in Parks

A record $78+ million in Measure A funding advances park access, health, and climate resilience in communities that need it most.

March 20, 2026 - Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District

Diagram of Master Plan for Gaza.

Trump’s Totalitarian Vision for the Future of Gaza

The Trump Administration has put forth its plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. It is a totalitarian nightmare.

March 17, 2026 - Alan Mallach

Rendering of vibrant public square in downtown San Jose, California.

Google Razed 80 Acres in Downtown San Jose. Then… Nothing Happened.

The project was expected to generate about $79 million annually in property taxes.

March 15, 2026 - The Mercury News

Ornate Chinatown gate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with people walking in front of it.

Philadelphia’s ‘Chinatown Stitch’ Freeway Cap in Danger After Feds Retract Funding

A project 15 years in the making would reconnect Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood after decades of being split in half by a roadway.

March 11, 2026 - WHYY

Collage of eight book covers.

Eight Sci-Fi Books That Teach Urbanists the Dos and Don’ts of the Future

Science fiction has long painted a picture of the city of the future. What if it’s our roadmap out of dystopia?

March 9, 2026 - Jake Pitre

Seattle skyline with Space Needle and power lines in foreground.

Seattle Density Increase Stymied by Underground Power Line Requirement

A new policy that requires buildings with four or more units to bury their electrical lines is making housing development more costly and causing months-long delays.

March 8, 2026 - The Seattle Times

Portland MAX light rail train at station in Portland, Oregon.

February Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

Transit agencies like BART and TriMet face lingering budget shortfalls, forcing major service cuts and layoffs, while federal plans to ban fare-free transit throw a wrench in NYC Mayor Mamdani’s proposal to make the city’s buses ‘fast and free.’

March 5, 2026 - Diana Ionescu

Barista coffee shop in the Pearl District of Portland Oregon.

In Defense of QUIMBY — a Rebuttal

Psychology shows that residents love what planners and architects don’t. Experience tells me that they’re right.

March 3, 2026 - Michael W. Mehaffy

Figure skater Alysa Liu holds up her gold medal against blue backgrounf at the Milan-Cortino Olympics.

Alysa Liu's Oakland Training Center Highlights the Importance of California's Defunded Redevelopment Agencies

The financial and legal ecosystem that led to the creation of the Oakland Ice Center no longer exists after California dissolved its state redevelopment agencies.

March 2, 2026 - Next City

Data center in Iowa at sunset.

Iowa County Passes Restrictive Data Center Ordinance

A new Linn County ordinance requires data center builders to conduct environmental reviews, limit light pollution and noise, and compensate the county for infrastructure costs.

March 2, 2026 - Inside Climate News

Brick buildings next to railyards.

Mamdani Proposes Reviving Sunnyside Yard Project in Meeting With Trump

A proposed redevelopment in Trump’s native Queens could create as many as 12,000 new housing units.

March 2, 2026 - Curbed

Houses in Salt Lake City, Utah at dusk.

Salt Lake City Could Allow Backyard Homes on up to 3/4 of Residential Lots

A proposed zoning change would expand the residential areas where accessory units can be built.

March 1, 2026 - Salt Lake Tribune

View of black oil wells behind chain link fence with barbed wire top

California Seals 21 Urban Oil Wells in South LA After Decades of Activism

The permanent closure of a long-troubled South Los Angeles oil site marks a hard-fought victory for residents and underscores the growing urgency of addressing hazardous idle wells in communities nationwide.

February 23, 2026 - Los Angeles Times

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.