Urban Development

This Map Shows Tree Inequality Across Neighborhoods
A new mapping tool visualizes the unequal distribution of urban trees in U.S. cities.

The Problem With Anti-Commercial NIMBYism
Some people oppose commercial development in working-class neighborhoods, fearing gentrification. But if nothing that makes a place more desirable can be built, jobs will become less accessible to those neighborhoods—an obviously absurd result.

The 'Zoom Boom' Can't Save the Midwest
Although remote work has opened up new housing possibilities for many Americans, data indicates that migration flows to 'heartland' cities have been relatively modest.

L.A. Metro Board Approves Changes to Highway Program
The updated language clarifies that projects can include Complete Streets features, items supported by the county's voters through Measure M.

Harris County Will Use Toll Road Revenue to Pay for Flood Control
A new Flood Resilience Trust will create a permanent source of funding for flood control purposes, but the county still faces a shortfall for planned projects.

Changing the Rules to Bring More Capital to Developers of Color
LISC and Enterprise, two large community development intermediaries, have announced major racial equity initiatives that emphasize how affordable housing gets built—and who builds it. We take a closer look at what they’re planning.

Liverpool Could Lose UNESCO World Heritage Status
New and planned developments are risking the integrity of Liverpool's historic waterfront, according to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

'Tiny Forests' Take Hold in Urban Centers
A movement to plant small patches of plants in urban neighborhoods is taking off in Europe and Asia as cities work to mitigate the effects of climate change and provide increased access to green space.

HUD Secretary: Administration Must Restore Depleted Staff
To take on President Biden's ambitious housing goals, the agency needs to restore the staff lost during the Trump era.

How Bad Transit Encourages Car Ownership
The lack of robust public transit networks in many U.S. cities reduces access to opportunity and drives those who can afford it to buy private vehicles.

Controversial Comprehensive Plan Update Moves Forward in Charlottesville
Residents have had a chance to oppose the new residential density proposed by the "Charlottesville Plans Together" comprehensive planning process.

Charlotte's New, Controversial Comprehensive Plan to End Single-Family Zoning
A tight vote after months of controversy has produced a major zoning reform effort that differs significantly from recent examples on the West Coast and in Minneapolis.

Water, Affordable Housing on a Collision Course in California
Marin County, the wealthy county in the North Bay Area with a history of exclusionary land use and transportation practices, is using the shortage of water to justify blocking the development of an affordable housing project.

The Imagined Bay Area of 2070: Affordable, Equitable, Prosperous
An opinion published recently by the San Francisco Chronicle offers a provocative thought exercise: How did the Bay Area of 2070 achieve affordability, equity, sustainability and adaptation in the face of climate change, and new levels of prosperity?

Op-Ed: Los Angeles Needs a Countywide Affordable Housing Agency
A bill in the California state legislature would create an agency dedicated to coordinating the production and preservation of affordable housing across the county's 88 cities.

Black Developers in Chicago Band Together to 'Buy Back the Block'
A group of developers joined efforts to purchase a dozen adjacent lots with plans to build affordable housing and create local jobs.

New York Times: Upzone the Suburbs
While the affordable housing discussion focuses on New York City among the many cities with public transit service on Long Island, the city's suburbs need to build more too, according to an argument by The New York Times Editorial Board.

'Gentrification' Is Not the Real Problem
The conversation about gentrification continually repackages a set of debunked theories as reality and it obscures a set of real crises that need fixing.

Boise Plans for 'Urban Renewal District'
The proposal seeks to sustainably manage development along State Street, support local businesses, and improve public transit and pedestrian infrastructure in the area.

Historic Preservation of LGBTQ Spaces
New research seeks to provide a better understanding of the relationship between historic preservation and neighborhood change in the LGBTQ community.
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)