Urban Development

The Windy City

No Slowdown of Out-Migration of Black Residents from Chicago

The city of Chicago continues to see a decline in population, including tens of thousands of African-Americans who have left in recent years.

March 4, 2020 - The New York Times

Curbing House Flippers in Brooklyn

A new cease-and-desist zone, meant to control the activities of house flippers, is under consideration in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, as well as state laws that would increase the real estate transfer tax.

March 3, 2020 - The City

Hearst Tower Norman Foster

The Long, Tough Road for Property Tax Reform in New York City

Landlords and the NAACP agree on the need for property tax reform in New York City, but it took a lawsuit to get the city moving on reform, and the state is still dragging its feet.

March 3, 2020 - The New York Times

Kids Biking

LeBron James Wants Kids to Bike

The NBA star says bikes have played an important role in his life, and he wants young people to have the same access and freedom that biking gave him.

March 2, 2020 - Outside

Capitol Hill

The Federal YIMBY Act Makes Progress in the House

A federal bill intended to increase transparency in land use and zoning decisions as well as encourage localities to eliminate barriers to housing has advanced out of a House of Representative committee.

March 2, 2020 - Financial Services Republicans

Electric Vehicle Charging

N.Y.C. Plans EV Curbside Charging Project

A citywide network of public electric vehicle charging stations will be up and running later this year as part of a demonstration project.

March 2, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

High Line

Friday Eye Candy: A Sorely-Needed Map of New York City Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods don't get the same official boundaries as cities, counties, states, and countries. So how do we know where one neighborhood ends and another begins?

February 28, 2020 - Gothamist

San Francisco, California

Latest San Francisco Bike Battlefront: Valencia Street

With most private auto traffic banned on Market Street in downtown, a battle is brewing in the Mission District between Valencia Street merchants, led by a bike store owner, and cyclists who support converting a bike lane into a cycletrack.

February 27, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

Texas Sprawl

San Antonio's Housing Equity Crisis Traced to Planning Roots

Lending and planning policies have split San Antonio residents into haves and haves for decades, according to a large feature published recently by the Rivard Report.

February 27, 2020 - Rivard Report

Cupertino, California

Controversial Development Site in Cupertino Compounds Legal Controversy

The city of Cupertino rezoned a controversial development site in case a judge tosses the developer's current plan for the site. Now the developer is suing, accusing the city of an illegal taking.

February 26, 2020 - The Mercury News

The Peninsula

New Housing Law Quickly Enacted in Bay Area

A four-month-old California housing law that applies only to 100% affordable housing near transit has dramatically changed a housing proposal in an affluent Peninsula city, though it is too soon to say if the additional two-stories will be approved.

February 26, 2020 - San Mateo Daily Journal

Seattle Neighborhood

The Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Era Concludes in Seattle

Before YIMBY was a household word and before Minneapolis ended single-family zoning, Seattle's Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) broke the planning status quo.

February 26, 2020 - Sightline Institute

London Ride Hailing

Ride-Hailing Companies Greatly Increase Pollution, Study Says

The reality of ride hailing has fallen well short of the wishful thinking about reduced congestion and reduced pollution that defined the early days of Uber and Lyft.

February 26, 2020 - The Verge

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville Needs Sidewalks on 1,900 Miles of Streets

Nashville builds four miles of sidewalk a year.

February 25, 2020 - WSMV

Brutalism

Bribery Scandal Leads to Zoning Board Reforms in Boston

The planning approvals process took a black eye in Boston last year, when a bribery scandal sent a Boston Planning and Development Agency staffer to jail.

February 25, 2020 - The Boston Globe

Electric Train

TOD and Zero-Emission Trains: Can You Guess Where the Controversy Is?

The nation's first fuel cell electric train will make its debut in Southern California in about four years, but it's also associated with a controversial ballot measure on the station sites that voters of Redlands will decide on Super Tuesday.

February 24, 2020 - KVCR

South Los Angeles Market-Rate Housing Development

Developer Sues L.A. After Area Planning Commissioners Reject Multi-Family Project

A development controversy also now an expanding legal controversy, after a local planning commission rejected a controversial development proposal allowed by zoning.

February 24, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Rail Transit

Uber App Feature Integrates Transit and Ridesharing

Uber’s "Make My Train" app feature lets riders better plan journeys across modes.

February 24, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Shopping Cart

Dollar Stores and Grocery Stores

Opponents of dollar stores argue that dollar stores are the mortal enemy of grocery stores. Is this really true?

February 24, 2020 - Michael Lewyn

Silicon Valley, facing Downtown San Jose

Zuckerberg and Company Set Goals on Housing Policy and Affordable Housing

With over $500 million in resources, the Partnership for the Bay’s Future is funding policy and affordable housing projects throughout the region.

February 23, 2020 - The Mercury News

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.