Urban Development

The Mission Mural Gentrification

YIMBYs Attacked from the (Far) Left

Pro-housing activists in San Francisco are blamed for displacement of vulnerable communities because they support luxury housing developments. A report from the independent progressive website, Truthout, ties YIMBYs to the "alt-right."

May 22, 2017 - Truthout

San Francisco Mural

'Plansplaining' and its Discontents

Yes, planners have expertise to share, but according to this rather pointed critique, they also sometimes forget that other people do too.

May 22, 2017 - CityLimits.org

Angelino Heights

Trump's Tax Reform Proposal Would Have a Big Effect in the Housing Market

Housing prices may fall 10 percent on average nationwide, according to a preliminary estimate commissioned by the National Association of Realtors, if the Trump Administration's tac code reform package becomes law.

May 22, 2017 - Bloomberg

Master Planned Communities

California's Inland Empire Ready to Build Again

As an article in Builder puts it: the 'Inland Empire Strike Back' with a large new masterplanned community in Riverside County. This region, hit particularly hard by the housing crash of the Great Recession looks ready pick up where it left off.

May 20, 2017 - Builder

Construction

A Call for Prevailing Wages as a Housing Solution

An op-ed written by city officials from two South Bay Area cities argues that reform of land use regulations won't be enough to solve California's housing crisis.

May 19, 2017 - The Mercury News

Gentrification

Gentrification, for Better and Worse

Gentrification—more wealthy people moving into lower-income communities—often faces opposition, sometimes for the wrong reasons. It is important to consider all benefits and costs when formulating urban development policies.

May 18, 2017 - Todd Litman

Suburban Arizona

America's Largest Suburb Flirts With Urbanization

John Wesley leads the charge to introduce urbanism into mega-suburb of Mesa, Arizona.

May 18, 2017 - Josh Stephens

DTLA Mural

The Rise of Corporate Murals in LA

Downtown Los Angeles, styled DTLA by its new enthusiasts, has long been a site for street art and murals of dubious legality. Now, developers are paying artists to paint them.

May 16, 2017 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Highland Park Fire Department

A Rejuvenation Plan for Detroit's Highland Park

Along with Hamtramck, Highland Park is one of two tiny cities entirely surrounded by the city of Detroit. Here's how its leaders want its center to develop over the next five to ten years.

May 16, 2017 - Curbed Detroit

Church

How Aging Urban Churches Can Be Saved

Churchgoing in Washington, D.C. is on the decline, and neighborhood churches are finding it hard to pay the bills. One solution is to go mixed-use and share space with new development.

May 16, 2017 - Washingtonian

Subway Construction

Inside Downtown Los Angeles' Subway Tunneling Project

It's not the only subway under construction in Los Angeles, or event the most famous (it doesn't have the PR ring of the "Subway to the Sea"), but the Regional Connector will provide a critical link through the heart of the city's downtown.

May 15, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Presidio San Francisco

San Francisco Moving Forward on its First Teacher Housing Project

The mayor of San Francisco announced plans to convert an old administrative building, owned by the school district, into housing for teachers. It’s a long-awaited idea that has finally come to fruition.

May 15, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Exurban California

California Growth Shows an Exurban Pattern

The "back to the city" narrative might make for good headlines, but an analysis of California's growth patterns tell a different story. Take San Diego County as an example.

May 15, 2017 - Voice of San Diego

Seattle the Newest 'Urban Bird Treaty City'

A gap in the "Pacific Flyway" has been filled, after the city of Seattle has agreed to protect the migratory routes of birds.

May 15, 2017 - KUOW

University of Denver

Has Placemaking Become Cliché?

There’s very little that differentiates proposals by four distinguished planning and design firms to better connect my university to its immediate neighborhood and the wider city. Why is that, and does it have to be that way?

May 15, 2017 - Dean Saitta

Toronto from the CN Tower

The New Frontier of Internet-Enabled Cities Slated for Toronto

Sidewalk Labs is preparing to launch a big experiment on the smart cities concept.

May 15, 2017 - Bloomberg

Qualcomm Stadium

Design Groups Say 'Whoa' to Soccer City Proposal for Former Charger Stadium Site

For San Diego's Mission Valley Qualcomm Stadium site, AIA-SD and E+DC urge a structured and orderly planning and disposition process.

May 13, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Milwaukee Looking for Ways to Finally Force Landlords to Pay Property Taxes

Landlords in Milwaukee have several methods for avoiding paying fines and property taxes—it's all a part of gaming the system. After the local paper investigated the "landlord games," the city is taking action.

May 12, 2017 - Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel

St. Louis

Report: Tax Increment Financing Is the New Redlining

A new report from the Show-Me Institute provides a scathing critique of the demographic disparities apparent in how the city of St. Louis deploys tax increment financing.

May 11, 2017 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Seattle

CNU 25 Seattle: Highlights from the Silver Anniversary

A summary of last week's events in Seattle: CNU 25 and ULI, written by Hazel Borys.

May 10, 2017 - PlaceShakers

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.