Urban Development

New Energy Rating System for Chicago Buildings
The city will evaluate all buildings over 50,000 square feet and make the energy performance ratings and information easily accessible.

Atlanta Reaches Fundraising Goal to Fund Homeless Housing
The United Way of Greater Atlanta partnered with the city to raise private money to help pay for 550 homes for the city's homeless.

A Plan to Fix the Leaning Tower of San Francisco
A luxury residential high rise, conspicuously located near the Bay Bridge in a quickly growing section of the city, could finally have a plan to fix its sagging foundation.

Report: Trump Willing to Break the Rules to Build Border Wall
Transit agencies, affordable housing developers, and many others might be envious of the kind of leeway sources say President Trump is willing to grant in the name of project delivery.

Discretionary Approval for McMansions
Redwood City, located on the San Francisco Peninsula, will make it harder to build homes that take up more than 45 percent of a residential lot.

Copenhagen Strives to Be Carbon Neutral by 2025
The Danish capital has an ambitious goal to be the world’s greenest and most bike-friendly city, and it is taking big steps to make that happen soon.

The Earth's Vegetation Stopped Expanding 20 Years Ago
Until the late 1990s, the amount of vegetation worldwide was increasing. But then it stopped, and a new study links this troubling trend to climate change.

Philadelphia Planning Commission Approves ADU Bill
The commission recommended a trio of bills focused on historic preservation, including one that would permit accessory dwelling units on historic properties.

Digging Into the Data on Detroit's 'Recovery'
In key areas like jobs and housing, the numbers show a definite Motor City rebound since the recession. But a closer look reveals uneven gains and weakness next to state averages.

Cities at the Forefront of Climate Change Policy
As cities around the world face the effects of climate change head on, they have been pushing policy forward and taking action at the local level. But they are also creating networks that have a much broader impact beyond individual cities.

Playgrounds Could Provide Much-Needed Public Space
In communities lacking green space, public access to upgraded school playgrounds is a win-win solution.

Expert Opines on the Fiscal Disincentives Undermining Local Approval of Housing Development
Larry Kosmont identifies the fiscal dysfunction driving city resistance to state-mandated density and offers institutional explanations for California’s current housing crisis.

Striking New Towers Coming to Philadelphia's Schuylkill Yards
Brandywine Realty Trust is making a statement with this contemporary take on the corporate high rise.

Luxury Condos for Sale in Vancouver as Non-Resident Owners Balk at New Taxes
A tax on non-resident property owners is working as it's intended, as a wave of luxury condo units hit the real estate market all over the city of Vancouver.

Texas Program Pays Landowners to Leave Coastal Lands Untouched
In an effort to preserve coastal Texas ecosystems and fight global warming, a new nonprofit is paying landowners to not develop their land.

An Affordable Housing Investment Guide for Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems
Hospitals are uniquely suited to make an impact in the ongoing affordable housing crisis in the United States.

In the Housing Market, a Few Decades Makes a Huge Difference
"[P]erhaps at this point, this column should include a trigger warning for any young couple traumatized by the current housing market around here."

Former L.A. Planning Director Admits to Ethics Violation
A Los Angeles Times investigation reveals that the city of Los Angeles' might not have revealed every layer of ethics violation committed by Michael LoGrande after he left the Department of City Planning in 2016.

Demystifying Mass Timber
Quayside, Sidewalk Labs' smart city in Toronto, calls for ten tall buildings made entirely of wood. Here's why proponents think mass timber is a good idea, and what obstacles stand in its way.

On Public Transit, Some of the World’s Best Sightseeing
From Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Sydney, the best—and the cheapest—views are on ferries, buses, trains, and gondolas.
Pagination
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)