Urban Development

Affordable Housing: 'In the Direct Path of Climate Change'
Managers of affordable housing at the deadly northern end of Ida's path review what worked, what didn't, and what we might need to abandon altogether.

What Is Conservation Development?
Conservation development combines the development of land with the protection of natural resources.

Study: Montgomery County Needs Dedicated Bus Lanes, Rail Extension
A report from Montgomery County planners prioritizes the need for a robust network of bus lanes and the extension of the Red Line to accommodate the region's growing population and reduce car trips and congestion.

Port Authority Study Calls For More Equitable TOD in Pittsburgh
A study by the Port Authority of Allegheny County warns against displacement of low-income residents and calls for an increased focus on equity in developments around transit stations.

Coupling Housing and Mobility: A Radical Rethink for Freeways
An ambitious vision for freeways: intersections with dense, tall buildings and rights of way repurposed for high-speed, high-capacity public transit.

Opinion: Renters Shouldn't Be a 'Buffer' for Single-Family Homes
Despite the well-documented impacts of traffic noise and pollution, Vancouver's housing policy effectively relegates multi-family apartment buildings to busy arterial roads.

Cargo Bike Pilot Reduces Emissions by 30%
The program deployed electric cargo bikes in a small Seattle neighborhood to test the effectiveness of replacing delivery trucks with lighter vehicles in the last mile of delivery.

Chicago Grants Support Equitable Transit-Oriented Development
The eTOD program centers equity as a consideration for new projects.

Austin Leaders Denounce 20-Lane Freeway Project
TxDOT is pushing ahead with plans for a massive freeway expansion project through downtown Austin despite opposition from virtually all local leaders.

Monitoring the Effects of the Pandemic on Metros and Cities
Eugénie Birch discusses cities' and metros' recoveries from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plan Bay Area 2050, Approved Last Week, Makes the Opinion Page
A traditionally controversial planning exercise, the regular update of the 30-year plan for the San Francisco Bay Area, has crossed the finish line again. Opponents aren't letting the issues rest, however.

What COVID Taught About Mobility Justice
Transit agencies are waking up to the inequities in transportation systems—highlighted by the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Signs of Financial Distress Among Office Properties
The foreclosure risk facing a pair of high-profile office buildings highlight the debt difficulties facing the office sector as it deals with the fallout of the pandemic. The trend could be on the verge of picking up steam.

Amazon Shifting From Land Lessee to Land Owner
Amazon has been tending to buy when previously it would have leased, and the trend has massive implications for the industrial real estate market.

How Street Configuration Impacts Equity
With urban pollution and traffic violence disproportionately affecting communities of color, better management of public space and streets could improve equity in cities.

New 'Housing Accountability Unit' to Enforce California's Housing Goals
Part of the state's Housing and Community Development Agency, the unit will focus on enforcing existing laws around housing production and ensure cities build the housing needed to alleviate the current crisis.

Widespread Neighborhood Opposition to Atlanta's Comprehensive Development Plan
A generational comprehensive planning effort hangs in the balance in the city of Atlanta.

How Albany Can Reclaim Its Waterfront From a Bad Highway
Finding full-scale highway removal nearly impossible, advocates in the New York state capital turn to creative workarounds to reconnect the city to the Hudson River.

Houston's East River Redevelopment Threatens Historic Black Neighborhoods
Longtime residents are being left behind by new development that has raised housing costs and property taxes for some of Houston's most vulnerable communities, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle.

Homeowner Groups Find an Antidote to Zoning Reforms: National Register Historic Districts
Many neighborhoods are moving to create historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in response to the growing number of states, cities, and neighborhoods loosening single-family residential zones.
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)