Urban Development

Summer

Developer Aims to Fill a 'Craft Beer Desert' in Austin

Yeah, they went there.

August 22, 2021 - Austin Business Journal

Skinny Skyscraper

Report: Skyscrapers a Driving Factor of the Urban Heat Island Effect

As cities build upwards in an effort to create more housing and increase walkability, research shows that tall buildings intensify heat and contribute to increased carbon emissions.

August 19, 2021 - Grist

Los Angeles Protected Bike Lane

Study: Bike Lanes Don't Cause Displacement

A longitudinal study shows that bike facilities don't precede neighborhood change or displacement of residents.

August 19, 2021 - Bike Portland

San Francisco, California

Ranking the Top 15-Minute Cities of the United States

The rankings in a recent report are about the potential of U.S. cities to become more like the 15-minute city model provided by Paris.

August 19, 2021 - The Urbanist

Dry Lake in Arizona

Federal Government Declares Water Shortage as Lake Mead Reaches Critical Low

The first-of-its-kind declaration triggers major water cutbacks for Arizona farmers and reduced allocations for Nevada and Mexico.

August 19, 2021 - The Arizona Republic

A small town in the U.S. Midwest at dusk, with cars parked on a street lined with historic buildings and a water tower in the distance.

Small-Scale Manufacturing Can Maximize the Potential of America's Small Cities

Artisans and small-scale manufacturers offer tremendous economic opportunities for cities prepared to harness that creative and entrepreneurial energy.

August 19, 2021 - Ilana Preuss

Detroit Vacant Properties

Detroit Residents Find it Hard to Access Land Bank Properties

Longtime residents say the city is not fulfilling its goal of keeping vacant parcels in the hands of locals as property values rise steeply.

August 19, 2021 - Outlier Media

A bar is adorned in festive decorations for a college football game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

'Gameday Homes' Raise Housing Costs in Small Southern Towns

Small college towns are seeing housing costs increase as out-of-town football fans buy up properties for short-term use.

August 18, 2021 - Next City

The city of Baltimore's Inner Harbor blanketed in fog, as seen from the water.

Resiliency Hubs Help Baltimore Plan for Climate Emergency

The Green New Deal for Cities, a bill introduced in April by reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), includes among the list of projects eligible for funding those that "build capacity for communities to endure extreme weather."

August 18, 2021 - Next City

Denver Skyline

How One Community Land Trust Delivers Housing Affordability to Denver

The Elevation Community Land Trust's unusual ownership structure and strong initial fundraising have given it a solid footing in the Denver area.

August 18, 2021 - Next City

Smart City

'A City is Not a Computer:' Why 'Smart Cities' Fail

The 'smart city' concept fails to take into account the necessary slowness of democracy and the unpredictability of a city's human inhabitants.

August 18, 2021 - Fast Company

Condos Smart Growth

U.S. Condos Face a 'Midlife Crisis'

An overlooked but important part of American housing stock, many condominium complexes are facing the consequences of decades of deferred maintenance as their buildings and infrastructure reach a critical age.

August 17, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

Capitol Hill

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Heads to the House: Details and Reactions From the Planning World

Planetizen gathered explainer posts and advocacy responses that continue to shine a light on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, approved by the U.S. Senate earlier this month.

August 17, 2021 - James Brasuell

Coronavirus Social Distancing

New York Progressives Continue to Block Development

Despite mounting evidence that cities like New York must build more housing to accommodate their growing populations and stem the housing affordability crisis, some of the city's most progressive neighborhoods are resisting new development.

August 17, 2021 - New York Daily News

South Bay Area

Wealthy Bay Area Communities Fight Housing Targets

Some California cities and counties are appealing regional housing allocations, which could have a meaningful impact on how and where development occurs over the next decade.

August 16, 2021 - The Mercury News

View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion

The Long Road to Portland's Historic Residential Infill Project

How the journey of one zoning reform campaign can inform future efforts.

August 16, 2021 - Sightline

Gowanus Canal

Gowanus Racial Impact Study Predicts Increased Diversity After Rezoning

The report outlines the potential impacts on the neighborhood's racial diversity and the availability of below-market housing units.

August 16, 2021 - Urbanize New York

Maricopa County, Arizona

Why It's So Difficult to Measure Heat Deaths

Without a standard for recording and classifying heat-related deaths, experts believe the scale of the problem is much bigger than numbers let on.

August 15, 2021 - PBS

Manhattan Bus

NYC Expats Struggle With Their Decision to Leave

Strong place attachment makes it difficult for New Yorkers to settle into their new homes, but many are finding ways to recreate their favorite parts of the city elsewhere.

August 15, 2021 - New York Times

Las Vegas, Nevada

Cities in the South and West Keep Sprawling

New suburbs continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas, putting strain on local resources.

August 13, 2021 - The Washington Post

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.