Massachusetts
Covid Burnout Causing Mayoral Turnover
A large number of local leaders are leaving office ahead of schedule; many report Covid burnout as the cause of their departure.
CDC to Gov. Whitmer: Time to Shut Down, Not Surge Vaccines
Michigan is on fire—a coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly among younger people, including children, yet high-risk activities, including youth sports and indoor dining, remain open. CDC Director Walensky addressed the conflagration Monday.
Boston to Pilot Free Transit Passes for Workers in Commercial Districts
The city of Boston will undertake an experiment about how to center public transit as an economic recovery tool.
Reopening Schools: CDC Reduces Social Distancing Requirement
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now supports three-foot distancing in elementary school classrooms provided there is universal masking. For middle and high schools, it depends on the level of coronavirus transmission in the community.
Revised Requirements for Sidewalks and Bike Lanes at MassDOT
The new guidelines call for pedestrian and bike infrastructure as part of the design of new state-run projects.
Bloomberg Funds New 'Center for Cities' at Harvard
The $150-million endowment will expand the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and develop capacity-building programs for mayors and city leaders.
Massachusetts Reopens, But Too Early?
Many coronavirus restrictions were lifted on Monday in Massachusetts by Gov. Charlie Baker due to falling COVID cases and hospitalizations, but many experts feel the move is too hasty and could lead to a resurgence in the virus.
Boston-to-New York High-Speed Rail Project Hopes for Federal Support
If completed, the North Atlantic Rail project could transform New England's transportation landscape.
Boston Leaders Want A Dog Park in Every Neighborhood
City leaders want to build more off-leash dog parks, partly as a response to the trend of "pandemic puppies" that has led to a sharp spike in urban dog ownership.
Boston to Require Fair Housing Review for New Developments
The Boston Zoning Code is one of the first in the nation to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.
Liberated by the Commonwealth, Boston Readies Big Linkage Fee Increases
Recent state legislation removed state preemption of the fees local governments can charge developers, called linkage fees. Boston is poised to act on this new power.
'Bespoke' Station Design Responsible for Transit Costs Increases, Study Says
The first case study by the Transit Costs Project at New York University's Marron Institute offers a long awaited, and long necessary, glimpse into the bloated costs of construction in the United States.
New Transit-Oriented Development Requirements for Boston-Area Transit Stations
Cities with commuter rail stops will have to accommodate higher-density housing or risk losing access to state resources and housing grants.
$1.4 Billion Housing Redevelopment Project Moves Forward in Boston
The 80-year-old Bunker Hill public housing complex will be replace according to a plan approved recently by the Boston Planning and Development Agency.
Health Care Institutions Must Acknowledge Their Role in Neighborhood Change
If those in health care seek to develop new ways to help patients stay in their homes, they must also find ways to temper how they affect communities in which they reside.
'Housing Choice' Approved in Massachusetts
The Housing Choice initiative, one of the country's most sweeping planning and development reforms to date, was included in a large economic development package approved by the Massachusetts Legislature earlier this week.
Dedicated Bus Lane Planned for Boston Neighbor
Bus lanes are catching on in the Boston region. The city of Brookline is the latest example.
Boston Installs New Bike Lanes as Part of GoBoston 2030 Initiative
The city wants to cut its car use in half by 2030 as part of an aggressive set of "aspirational" goals.
New York, Boston Transit Agencies Back Off Proposed Cuts
News of a potential economic stimulus package in Congress is followed by news that two of the nation's most prominent transit systems are reducing cuts proposed to address plummeting revenues.
Rethinking Place Governance to Advance Equitable Development
The Boston Foundation's first Place Leadership Network process offers lessons in how to build place-based coalitions to advance the cause of equity.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
