Urban Development

Spanish-style arch over street reading 'Bienvenidos a Little Village" in Chicago, Illinois at golden hour.

Chicago Latino Corridor Hollowed Out Amid Deportation Fears

Foot traffic and business in the largely Latino Little Village neighborhood declined by as much as 50 percent, with many businesses staying closed on Tuesday.

January 23, 2025 - Bloomberg

Office buildings in downtown Washington, D.C.

DC Announces ‘Office to Anything’ Adaptive Reuse Program

The program complements an existing residential conversion initiative and could yield up to 2.5 million square feet of new commercial space.

January 23, 2025 - ABC 7 News

Smoky sky overlooking Los Angeles skyline during 2025 wildfires.

While California Fires Burn On, Residents Take on Rent Gouging

Residents have already seen online listings skyrocketing in price—despite laws against such hikes. With fires still raging, LA and Pasadena tenants are demanding protections against rent raises and eviction.

January 22, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial view of residential buildings in Koreatown, Los Angeles with downtown skyline in background

The Urban Heat Divide: Addressing LA’s Thermal Inequities

LA's thermal inequities leave low-income, minority neighborhoods disproportionately hotter and more vulnerable, prompting advocacy and policy efforts to address these disparities through green infrastructure and equitable climate investments.

January 21, 2025 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Professional cleaners wearing medical masks and gloves cleaning desks in large empty office.

The Ripple Effects of Remote Work

The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.

January 21, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of person holding hand-written "Affordable Homes Now!" sign.

America’s Housing Crisis: Lessons Ignored and Challenges Ahead

A recent study reveals how decades of policy missteps, demographic shifts, and economic forces fueled America’s housing crisis, leaving millions — especially millennials — struggling amid rising demand, racial disparities, and climate-driven emergencies.

January 19, 2025 - USC Today

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

String lights across an alley in Cranford, New Jersey at night.

Midburbs: A New Definition of Suburbs

When the name “suburb” just doesn't quite fit.

January 17, 2025 - Gabe Bailer - PP - AICP - NJ Urbanthinker

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Learning From Wildfire Evacuations

Researchers are working to understand how people behave during wildfire events and how to most effectively get people to safety during deadly fires.

January 16, 2025 - Wired

Empty large outdoor parking lot with green trees in background.

Parking Reform Yields New Housing

As more cities eliminate or reduce their minimum parking requirements, the impact on housing supply is coming into focus.

January 16, 2025 - The New York Times

Place Dauphine plaza in Paris, France with parked bikes and people milling around.

Lost and Found: Fighting Loneliness With Parks and Third Places

To combat the epidemic of loneliness, Susan Henderson's evocative photos of “third places” reflect on how these spaces have evolved and their importance in fostering connection.

January 16, 2025 - * A Placemaking Journal

Close-up of "Residential Quiet Zone" sign.

Noise as a Public Health Hazard

New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.

January 15, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Radical Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina before Hurricane Helene.

Post-Helene Reflections on Solastalgia and Community

Solastalgia is an increasingly relevant word that refers to the homesickness one feels when still at home, caused by distress due to environmental change in one’s home environment – for example, after a hurricane or wildfire.

January 13, 2025 - April Economides

Minneapolis, Minnesota skyline with river and bridge in foreground.

Looking Back on 60 Years of Land Development in the Twin Cities

In 1960, about 12 percent of the Twin Cities metro's land was already developed. By 2020, about 34 percent had been developed. Many factors influenced how the region has changed since 1960.

January 12, 2025 - Metropolitan Council: Metro Update

New Haven, Connecticut downtown skyline with fall foliage in foreground.

New Haven Reaches for Reinvention Amidst Failures of Urban Renewal

Seeking recovery from decades of failed urban renewal projects, New Haven rings in the new year by continuing a series of small-scale urban planning initiatives to reinvent its municipal spaces. 

January 12, 2025 - Governing Magazine

Low angle view of busy crosswalk with pedestrians and a bike.

Planning Year in Review 2024: An Ongoing Housing Crisis, the Fight for Climate Resilience, and a Mixed Bag for Transportation

A pedestrian safety crisis, rising housing instability, and destructive extreme weather events set the stage for an eventful year.

January 12, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up of white sign with red letters "NO THRU TRAFFIC"

The Link Between Urban Design and Crime

A meta-study shows that public realm interventions can help reduce crime rates.

January 9, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

For Lease painted on window of vacant commercial space.

2024: The Year in Zoning

Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.

January 8, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of Mission Rock development in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Development Centers Pedestrians, Public Space

The Mission Rock project eliminates street parking, replacing it with public seating and landscaping.

January 7, 2025 - Fast Company

Sprawl

Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty

Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.

January 6, 2025 - Science Blog

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.

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.