District of Columbia

Washington D.C.

D.C. Comp Plan Update Includes 'Gentle Density' in Single-Family Residential Neighborhoods

A lot of long-term planning is underway in Washington, D.C.

April 29, 2020 - Urban Turf

Apartment Construction

Increase Housing Supply Softened Rent Increases in D.C., Study Says

A study recently published by the District of Columbia offers supporting evidence to a supply-side approach to housing affordability in high-demand markets.

April 22, 2020 - District of Columbia Office of Revenue Analysis

Coronavirus

States Not Unified in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

Public health experts were pleased that Trump extended his coronavirus guidelines, but they remain advisory, left to state and local governments to implement. Nine states have yet to issue stay-at-home orders, leaving the nation vulnerable to COVID.

April 6, 2020 - The Hill

Cherry Blossom Washington, D.C.

Urban Forestry Plans Obstructed by Urban Development Plans in D.C.

Growth and development are the biggest obstacles to Washington, D.C.'s plans to add more than 10,000 trees every year over the next 25 years.

April 2, 2020 - The Washington Post

Grand Central Station Tunnel

Transit Agencies Seeking Federal Help as Ridership Plummets

Two of the most transit rich regions in the United States have sounded alarms about the need for federal relief as transit ridership plummets as workers stay home or avoid public transit. The APTA is supporting the cause.

March 19, 2020 - Government Technology

Metro Bus

Backlash for Bus Service Cuts Proposed by D.C. Metro

A debate about how to more efficiently operate the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's bus service is underway.

March 18, 2020 - WAMU

Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

'Economic Mapping' to Help Regional Planning

Identifying potential hubs and activity centers allows regions to foster economic growth and density.

March 16, 2020 - The Avenue (Brookings)

Montgomery County Residential Homes

Why Is Housing in the D.C. Area So Pricey? It’s the Land

It’s not "luxury" factors that make housing in Washington, D.C., extremely expensive.

March 16, 2020 - WAMU

Bike Commuter

Parking Cash-Out Creates a Level Playing Field for Commuters

Many employers offer subsidized parking to automobile commuters but no comparable benefits to those who walk, bicycle, or use public transit. A Washington, D.C. proposal would help correct this inequity.

March 4, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

Electric Scooter Joicer

The Culling: Four Fewer Scooter Companies Allowed to Operate in D.C.

A controversial evaluation process has produced a final verdict, and four scooter companies are no longer welcome on the streets of the nation's capital.

March 1, 2020 - DCist

Condos Smart Growth

Smart Growth America Promotes the Transportation and Climate Initiative

Former Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening penned a local opinion for The Washington Post in support of the TCI to advance funding of alternatives to driving and ask readers to shape the controversial initiative by submitting comments by Feb. 28.

February 24, 2020 - The Washington Post

Washington, D.C.

The Days of Two Remaining D.C. Urban Renewal Plans Could Be Numbered

Urban renewal plans for Downtown D.C. and the Shaw neighborhood are all that's left of a mid-20th-century planning effort.

February 12, 2020 - Bisnow

Washington, D.C. Historic District

Opinion: Historic Preservation's Climate Problem Reveals its Class Problem

A strongly worded opinion piece calls out historic preservation as a tool of the affluent urban elite.

January 29, 2020 - The New York Times

New York Subway

U.S. Transit Ridership Growing Again

The growth in transit rips in the United States over the course of the second and third quarters of 2019 can be traced to growth in two key cities.

January 21, 2020 - CityLab

Lincoln Memorial

Restricting Floodplain Development in the Nation's Capital

The D.C. Department of Energy and Environment has read the writing on the wall.

January 19, 2020 - Urban Turf

Adams Morgan District

Short-Term D.C. Rentals Boosting Home Prices, Study Shows

In Washington, D.C., Airbnb has led to an increase in home prices, and the impact is more significant in neighborhoods with a higher density of short-term rental units.

January 14, 2020 - Urban Turf

New Jersey

East Coast Considers Plan to Hike Gas Prices to Mitigate Climate Change

Will a dozen East Coast states and D.C. agree to a regional plan that would likely hike gas prices through a "cap-and-invest" program to mitigate tailpipe emissions similar to what California has done for the last five years?

December 30, 2019 - The New York Times

Greensboro Station on Metro's Silver line near Tyson's Corner

5 Transit Projects to Watch in the D.C. Region in 2020

Light rail, bus rapid transit, subway cell service, and more.

December 26, 2019 - WAMU

Amtrak

Virginia to Pay $3.7 Billion for 225 Miles of Rail Track

New passenger rail improvements for the Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak are on the way in 2020.

December 20, 2019 - WTOP

Washington, D.C. Apartment Building

Is the Height Act Responsible for D.C.'s Sky High Housing Prices?

The Height Act is up for debate again in Washington, D.C., amidst an emotional debate about housing affordability.

December 19, 2019 - WAMU

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.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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.