Urban Development

High Speed Rail Transforming California's Housing, TOD Conversation

The California Legislature took steps to address the state's housing crisis this year, but housing activists might look to the Governor's High Speed Rail project to provide a link to affordable housing in the Central Valley.

September 29, 2017 - The Planning Report

Seattle Sailboats

Could Seattle Be the U.S. Vancouver?

Seattle appears to be following the Vancouver, B.C. model by increasing population and residential density while investing in transit. If it works, traffic congestion will not deteriorate, and vehicle trips should drop.

September 29, 2017 - Governing

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh City Council Mulls Options for Affordable Housing Funding

Deciding to create an affordable housing trust fund is one thing, deciding how to fund it is another.

September 28, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Flooding in Howard Beach

New York Updating its Flood Resilience Zoning

New York City intends to make sure that zoning codes are a tool for preventing the risks of flooding.

September 27, 2017 - NYC Planning

Georgia

'Atlanta City Design' Book Makes a Plan for Equity

Two of the most prominent planners in Atlanta have released a book to help set an agenda for equity as the city grows in the next two decades.

September 27, 2017 - Next City

Erosion and Stormwater

Colorado Springs to Spend $500,000 to Study Large Landslide

Building on the edge of natural areas comes with risks, including wildfires and landslides. Colorado Springs will try to discover the extent of the risk from the latter at the western edge of the city.

September 26, 2017 - Colorado Springs Gazette

Oregon

Planning Director Susan Anderson Separates Fact from Fiction in Portland(ia)

Planetizen's "Planners Across America" series continues in the city that put many contemporary best planning practices on the map: Portland, Oregon.

September 26, 2017 - Josh Stephens

Philanthropy Fights Gentrification Around D.C.'s Planned Bridge Park

With lessons from high-profile urban revitalization in place, organizers and philanthropists are working to ensure the 11th Street Bridge Park doesn't push low-income residents out of surrounding neighborhoods.

September 25, 2017 - The Washington Post

Nimitz Freeway

Bay Area Not Prepared for Next Big One

As the death toll from Mexico's 7.1 magnitude earthquake on Sept. 19 climbs above 300, the San Francisco Chronicle investigates how well prepared the Bay Area is for an earthquake of comparable magnitude. Not very well.

September 25, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

110 Freeway

L.A.'s New Transit Oriented Communities Guidelines Are a Boost for Affordable Housing

The city of Los Angeles is taking substantive action to provide incentives for affordable housing development.

September 25, 2017 - Urbanize LA

High Rises

A Database of Urbanism-Related Research

A new project is intended to forge connections between research and practice in the world of urbanism.

September 25, 2017 - Public Square

Octopus City Discovered

Scientists discover a 15-octopus 'city' off of the eastern coast of Australia, the second such colony of cephalopods.

September 25, 2017 - CityLab

Corner Store

Bodegas Are Vital to Urban Neighborhoods

Bodegas play an essential role in the communities they serve. Under threat by online retail and encroaching chain stores, they face a new danger from technology. New York YIMBY gives them a well-deserved shout-out.

September 24, 2017 - New York YIMBY

Infill Development

Salvaging Historic Building Materials for Job Creation and Environmental Benefit

A proposed ordinance would save derelict buildings from the wrecking ball, and send them to the salvage yard instead.

September 22, 2017 - Urban Milwaukee

Miami Temperature

Miami Beach: A Model of Climate Adaptation for Coastal Cities?

How did the seven square mile, four-foot high barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean off Miami and Biscayne Bay hold-up to Hurricane Irma? The city arguably has done more to adapt to sea level rise in recent times than any other coastal city.

September 22, 2017 - Planetizen

D.C. Auditor Reveals Blight Enforcement Shortcomings

There's a surprising amount of vacancies and blight in the nation's capital, and District officials aren't doing everything in their power to address the challenge.

September 22, 2017 - The Washington Post

HUD

Carson Op-Ed Lays Out the Trump Agenda for HUD

Ben Carson has penned an op-ed that lays out the ideology driving the Trump Administration's approach to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

September 22, 2017 - The Hill

Queens, New York City

Hyper Urban Growth Without Residential Displacement

Here's a change: Displacement in the nation's fastest growing urban neighborhood has largely been limited to businesses. The new highrises have given Queens something it never had: a skyline.

September 22, 2017 - New York Magazine

Drake Meme

Friday Not Funny: Drake Meme Appears in a NYC Parks Department Rendering

An armed forces veteran or a Boston Marathon bombing survivor would have been a better choice.

September 22, 2017 - Brokelyn

New Jersey

Proposed Density Causes 'Chaos' at the Newark City Council Hearing

A suite of zoning changes that would increase building heights and density along the Passaic River in Newark, New Jersey, provoked a chaotic council hearing that devolved into shouting and the removal of residents from the council chambers.

September 21, 2017 - NJ.com

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.