Urban Development

Is There a Perfect Density?
This post offers a critique of claims that there is an ideal, "Goldilocks density."

California's Housing Bills Fall Short
Three bills at the top of the Democratic leadership's housing agenda will have little impact on the state's chronic housing shortage according to multiple analyses, and wouldn't affect the outcome of a Bay Area mega-development controversy.

Aurora Rising
This rapidly diversifying community is one to watch as planning for cultural inclusion, social equity, and environmental sustainability become priorities for the American city.
Summer Camp for City Building
A free camp for young people in Brooklyn is teaching kids to appreciate the science and art of planning.
Edmonds, Washington Planning for a More Urban Future
The city of Edmonds, located to the north of Seattle, is putting the finishing touches on a plan that would increase heights in an urban district along State Route 99.

Agrihoods Still Proving Popular
Agrihoods emerged in the 1990s as a master-planned alternative to the golf-centered communities of the past. Many of these developments are going strong, and gaining in popularity.
Late Buses Threaten Seattle Micro-Unit Development—Guess Why
An approved, 55 micro-unit, mixed-use development with no parking sited on a transit corridor with 15-minute headways has been halted by a legal ruling after neighborhood opponents proved the bus was not meeting its schedule.

Ensuring Newark's Revival Doesn't Make it the Next Brooklyn
New Jersey's largest city is celebrating a downtown revival, but city leaders want to ensure that Newark avoids the displacement that often accompanies revitalization.

Iconic New Bridge Project Revealed in D.C.
The new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge will span the Anacostia River between Washington, D.C. and Anacostia.

Identifying the Populations Most Vulnerable to 'Extreme Heat Events'
New research published in Applied Geography is a first step toward planning for the resilience of vulnerable populations as the heat rises in urban areas.

Santa Monica Mayor: High Inclusionary Housing is Worth the Risk
Mayor Ted Winterer and Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis elaborate on the city’s new Downtown Community Plan, which includes what may be the state's highest inclusionary housing requirement.

New Community Plan Poises Downtown L.A. for Transformation
In addition to a contemporary vision for Downtown, the plan debuts a new approach to zoning that could help transform the entire city.
The Left Critiques YIMBYism
There are two fundamental flaws with the emergent "YIMBY" approach to planning and development politics, according to this article in an influential magazine of the American left.

Boston's Inclusionary Zoning Track Record Revealed
A new city report provides data on the number of affordable housing units built in the city of Boston as a result of the Inclusionary Development Policy.

Construction Worker Shortage Blamed for Housing Supply Woes
Zoning and red tape gets a bad wrap in arguments that blame the housing crisis on a lack of housing supply. Another narrative credits a shortage of construction workers on the lack of housing supply in the country.

The World's Largest Bike Parking Facility Opening in The Netherlands
The story of Utrecht's new bike parking garage—with enough space initially for 6,000 bikes—has a surprising twist: local bike advocates don't think it's big enough.

Houston Commercial Vacancies Outpace All Large U.S. Cities
Commercial vacancies have "ballooned" in Houston, according to the Houston Chronicle, as the energy slump takes hold of the real estate market. The last time vacancies were this high: the oil bust of the 1980s.

What Does 'Gentrification' Really Mean?
No two people seem to quite agree on what the word "gentrification" means. If you're at all interested in what shapes our cities, you're bound to find yourself in a conversation about gentrification eventually—and you might find yourself in a fight.

Multimodal Transportation for Economic Freedom, Opportunity, and Security
Motor vehicles are expensive to own and operate. Many lower-income households spend more on transportation than they can afford due to a lack of affordable mobility options. The solution is more multimodal planning.

Impacts of AVs and E-Commerce on Municipal Budgets
A new report from Urbanism Next/SCI takes you through a city’s budget—both revenues and expenditures—and describes the areas that will be affected as AVs become commonplace and e-commerce takes on an even larger role in retail
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.
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
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)