Urban Development

Regional Transportation District

Denver Affordable Housing Program Moves Forward

A proposal to reduce parking requirements near transit and encourage higher-density affordable housing development received Planning Board approval, but community concerns about affordability and displacement remain.

April 10, 2022 - The Denver Post

Waterfront Metro station, southwest Washington, D.C.

D.C. Metro Plans To Boost Transit-Oriented Development

The agency is seeking to execute joint development agreements to support more density near transit stations and boost affordable housing production.

April 10, 2022 - WTOP

Sprawl

The Urgent Need for Climate Action Includes Land Use Reforms, IPCC Report Says

The United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report earlier this week, sounding the alarm that time is running out to make the changes that can prevent the worst outcomes of climate change.

April 8, 2022 - The Washington Post

Mount Rainier

Tacoma Density Plan Moves to Phase Two

The Home in Tacoma plan would amend the city's zoning code to include more 'missing middle' housing types and encourage infill development.

April 7, 2022 - The Urbanist

Montgomery County

'Neighborhood Defenders' and the Suburban Status Quo

A tour de force of reporting documents the efforts of suburban Maryland residents to oppose new developments in their neighborhoods.

April 6, 2022 - DCist

New York City, New York United States - August 29 2021: Steinway Tower 111 West 57th Street on Billionaires' Row Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers with summer clouds.

World's Skinniest Skyscraper Complete in New York City

111 West 57th Street, a residential supertall tower with multiple global distinctions, completed construction recently in New York City.

April 6, 2022 - Dezeen

View of Cedar City, Utah

Utah Valleys Square Off in an Old-Fashioned Water War

The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District wants new sources of water so communities in the Cedar Valley in Utah can continue to grow. It's a story as old as the American West.

April 5, 2022 - The Guardian

Hillside home construction in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Study: How California Can Shift Away From Car-Oriented Development

While the state continues to rely on driving as a primary means of transportation, fighting climate change and the worsening housing crisis means implementing policies that encourage infill development, higher density, and public transit.

April 5, 2022 - OC Register

London

The Return of Cities

Major cities like London continue their rebound from the pandemic, with some tweaks.

April 5, 2022 - The Spectator

Image of transit oriented development around Union Station in Denver.

Tech Jobs Could Be Dispersing Away From 'Superstar' Cities

The rise of remote work and a need for new talent may be pushing tech companies away from their traditional hubs, but 'superstar' cities continue to lead the way.

April 5, 2022 - Brookings

Columbus

Columbus Weighs Revisions to Outdated, Inequitable Zoning Code

The city is seeking ways to boost affordable housing development and encourage mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

April 5, 2022 - WOSU

Housing Construction

U.S. Faces Historic Housing Shortages, With Roots in the Recession and Local Zoning Restrictions

The long-term effects of the Great Recession were timed very poorly for millions of Millennials aging into homebuying years. The pandemic and the traditional zoning preferences of communities aren't doing first-time homebuyers any favors.

April 4, 2022 - NPR

Master-Planned Cittes

Why California Should Not, Cannot Solve Its Housing Crisis By Building New Cities

A recent essay advocates for the development of a new city in California to alleviate the state's housing crisis. The argument needs a few tweaks.

April 4, 2022 - Josh Stephens

Expocenter of Ukraine

The Radical Architecture of Kyiv

Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.

April 4, 2022 - The Atlantic

North Carolina

Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan Takes First Step Toward Implementation

The Charlotte City Council has taken the first step toward implementation of the city's new comprehensive plan.

April 1, 2022 - South Charlotte Weekly

A map showing Auburn, Maine and surrounding highways and towns.

Auburn, Maine Approves New Residential and Commercial Densities Despite Public Outcry

Auburn, Maine offers the latest an example of a small city deciding to increase its capacity for future development in response to housing pressure, even in the face of intense public opposition.

March 31, 2022 - Sun Journal

Rendering of Memorial Park land bridge

First Part of Houston 'Land Bridge' Opens to Public

The land bridge over Memorial Drive will return 100 acres of green space to the area and provide a safe, convenient connection for humans and wildlife between the two sides of Memorial Park.

March 31, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Tidal flooding at Brickell Bay Drive and 12 Street, Downtown Miami

Miami City Commissioners Vote to Reinstate Downtown Parking Minimums

It's unclear when the law will take effect, but the Miami City Commission has approved that an ordinance that heads in the opposite direction of current planning trends and even the city's own groundbreaking zoning code.

March 31, 2022 - The Next Miami

Downtown Kansas City Missouri

Kansas City: 'Silicon Prairie?'

The city's growth and the arrival of tech giants like Meta could signal a tech-based renaissance.

March 30, 2022 - Market Watch

French Density

The Mathematics in Support of Urban Density

The strongest case for urban density can't be made in terms of aesthetics, according to this article.

March 30, 2022 - Full Stack Economics

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.