Urban Development

British Columbia Buys 'Poverty Hotels'

The provincial government in British Columbia has purchased 11 residential hotels in an effort to improve its handling of a rapidly increasing homeless population.

April 5, 2007 - The Tyee

Back To The Future: The 1970 Los Angeles 'Centers' Concept Plan

Many say Los Angeles is a city that grew without any rational planning. In reality the planning was there -- but much of the best planning never quite materialized.

April 5, 2007 - Christian Peralta

Two Abandoned Railroads, Two Different Results

Debate over the future of an elevated railway in Philadelphia is missing a key ingredient that has helped pushed New York's High Line project forward -- leadership and vision.

April 4, 2007 - The Daily Pennsylvanian

New York City's Latest Infill Strategy

With developable land all but gone in Manhattan, developers are now setting their sights on the open space many modernist housing towers reserved for basketball courts, plazas, and parks.

April 4, 2007 - The New York Sun

Town's Smart Growth Vision Remains Unrealized

Residents of one Upstate New York town have spent 4 years trying to transform a former hospital site into an mixed-use town center, without success.

April 4, 2007 - The New York Times

Do We Need To Rethink Gentrification?

A growing number of scholars argue that traditional ideas about the causes of gentrification, as well as the winners and losers, may be unfit to describe the complex processes happening in modern day cities.

April 3, 2007 - The Boston Globe

Mayor Releases 'Realistic' Plan For New Orleans

The newly released blueprint by Mayor Ray Nagin and Recovery Chief Ed Blakely may be the type of practical redevelopment plan New Orleans has been waiting for all along.

April 3, 2007 - The Times Picayune

Getting Smart Growth Without Gentrification

Planning activists in San Francisco are working to encourage infill development without neglecting social equity concerns.

April 3, 2007 - WorldChanging

Seattle Drops Plans For Developer-Funded Parks

Plans to use fees charged to developers for building parks and open spaces in Seattle have been abandoned.

April 3, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Retirement Communities That Reach For The Sky

Wealthy retirees who value city living over golf courses are creating demand for new urban, high-rise retirement communities.

April 3, 2007 - The New York Times

The Suburban Vision of 'Radiant City'

A new documentary called Radiant City paints a peculiar portrait of contemporary suburbia.

April 2, 2007 - The Globe & Mail

The Potential of Gentrifying Cities

Neal Peirce explores the capitalist and progressive potential of inner city housing in gentrifying cities.

April 1, 2007 - The Washington Post Writers Group

Newcomers Keep Atlanta Housing Market Healthy

Atlanta's famously high levels of in-migration are propping up the regional housing market, even as other metro areas experience declines - or collapses - of their residential sectors.

April 1, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Faux-Urban Malls Not So Bad After All?

The new generation of malls like Santana Row in San Jose, which critics accuse of being 'artificial', may indeed be serving a valuable role associated with good urbanism -- public gathering space.

March 30, 2007 - Metropolis Magazine

Can Big Box Retail Ever Be Sustainable?

Even with its environmental-friendly pledges, as long as customers keep driving to visit its massive stores, Wal-mart isn't likely to become 'green'.

March 29, 2007 - Grist

Growth Threatens Area's Green Plans

Projected growth in British Columbia has many worried about how the region will handle the rise in population and development.

March 29, 2007 - The Globe and Mail

Reining In Tax Breaks For Developers

In Kansas City, Missouri, voters just elected their former city auditor as their new mayor. One of the unlikely campaign issues: the use of tax increment financing for developers.

March 29, 2007 - The Kansas City Star

A 'Bizarre' New Capital City

A journalist says Burma's new secret capital city uses urban planning as insurance against regime change.

March 28, 2007 - The Independent

New Water Brings End To Development Moratorium

Amid a new regulation that limits development based on the amount of water municipalities can provide, a city in northern Maryland will receive additional allocations of water to allow new development, ending a 6-month building moratorium.

March 28, 2007 - The Baltimore Sun

Encouraging Downtown Growth Through A Live-Work District

In an effort to bring a renaissance to its downtown, a city in Idaho has approved creation of a live-work district which encourages development of properties where people can both live and work. City officials are hoping to attract local business.

March 28, 2007 - The Idaho Statesman

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.