Urban Development

In Planning, Reality Can Be Worse Than Fiction

The Showtime Series Penny Dreadful portrays a bleak vision of 1940s Los Angeles. But, unencumbered by regulations and zoning laws, it also displays what great urban neighborhoods can look like.

May 18, 2020 - California Planning & Development Report

Coronavirus Map

Visualizing the Coronavirus Pandemic

Mapping of the crisis is producing a fascinating and important trove of cartographic records.

May 18, 2020 - CityLab

Al Fresco Gelato

Berkeley Could Redefine the Al Fresco Streets Movement

The city of Berkeley is pursuing an aggressive plan to open the streets for outdoor dining as an economic development tool for local commercial businesses.

May 17, 2020 - Eater San Francisco

Coronavirus COVID-19

Pandemic a Call to Arms for Planners

The pandemic has raised alarms about density. Post-pandemic, urban planners should fight more passionately than ever for progressive principles that make cities more equitable, pleasant, and, yes, healthy.

May 17, 2020 - California Planning & Development Report

Bike and Pedestrian Path

Fostering a 'Green Economic Recovery' in Post-Coronavirus Cities

Cities around the world are putting sustainability and climate change at the forefront of economic recovery plans.

May 17, 2020 - The Guardian

Vancouver Al Fresco

How Zoning Reform Can Help Businesses Transition to Outdoor Operations

A trend toward allowing restaurants and retailers to expand operations to the public realm outside their brick and mortar confines is quickly gaining steam.

May 15, 2020 - The Hill

Public Transit

Predicting the Future of Cities After the Pandemic

Two more stories to enter into the archive for the great debate of the coronavirus pandemic: How will the public health crisis change the future of cities?

May 15, 2020 - Foreign Policy

Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade

Reforms Would Ease Approvals Process for Downtown Developments in Santa Monica

The city of Santa Monica will consider approvals process changes that will make it easier to entitle the largest projects allowed under zoning for the city's downtown.

May 14, 2020 - Urbanize LA

Social Distancing

Scenario Planning for Pandemic Recovery

The planner who wrote the book on the emerging practice of scenario planning offers advice on how the tool can be helpful in planning for the pandemic.

May 14, 2020 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Pizza in Connecticut

Minimum Parking Requirements Lifted to Support Outdoor Dining in Connecticut

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont included an historic measure in a May 10 executive order: statewide suspension of parking minimums to facilitate outdoor activities.

May 13, 2020 - Governor Ned Lamont

San Francisco Housing

Housing Costs More Than a Matter of Supply and Demand

Does new market rate housing increase the average cost of housing, by inducing demand, or does it help stabilize the housing market by offering new supply? The debate continues in San Francisco.

May 13, 2020 - Curbed San Francisco

City Apartments

Opinion: Less Restrictive Zoning Necessary for Urban Areas to Lead Recovery

An opinion piece makes the case for pro-development urban planning as a tool of economic recovery.

May 13, 2020 - The New York Times

Restaurant Business

Lessons from the Pandemic: Housing, Retail, Broadband

Second in a series of conversations about what comes next in local government policies and processes, this time between Geoff Koski and Ben Brown on housing, retail, and broadband

May 12, 2020 - PlaceShakers

Factory Emissions

Carbon Emissions Down, but Not Drastically

Transportation activity is down considerably, but other sources of carbon dioxide are still going strong.

May 12, 2020 - Grist

Miami

Centering Equity in Climate Adaptation

Avoiding the effects of climate change should not be a privilege for the wealthy.

May 12, 2020 - The New York Times

Housing Construction

Adapting Processes and Policies to Lessen Housing Delays

After a 22% drop in housing starts in March, municipalities and state governments continue to assess whether or not housing construction is essential, weighing factors like workforce safety and availability of construction materials.

May 12, 2020 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

New York East River Esplanade

Court Decision Clears the Way for East River Greenway Bike Bridge

A community group had sued to prevent the construction of a bridge in Clara Coffey Park in New York City. The court ruled in the favor of the city's plans.

May 12, 2020 - StreetsBlog NYC

Joe Louis Memorial

Editorial: Save the City by Investing in Equity

A New York Times editorial presents a resoundingly pro-urban call to action regarding the future of planning and investment.

May 12, 2020 - The New York Times

Street Traffic in Manhattan

Urban Planning in a Post-Pandemic World

The coronavirus crisis is highlighting the contributions of cities as well as their vulnerabilities and the planning issues that need to be priorities in the future.

May 11, 2020 - The City Fix

Cupertino, California

YIMBYs Prevail on Big Bay Area Mixed-Use Development Proposal

A court ruling in Santa Clara County cleared the way for a large mixed-use development proposal to be built at the location of the Vallco Shopping Mall in Cupertino.

May 11, 2020 - The Mercury News

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.