Michigan

Flood waters overwhelm a park, full of empty benches, on a sunny day.

Detroit Floods as the Pacific Northwest Bakes: It's Time to Shift the Conversation About Climate Change

The record-breaking heatwave in the Pacific Northwest has mostly been depicted in the media by kids running through fountains, but images of flooded highways and stranded vehicles in Detroit tell a more accurate story of climate change.

June 30, 2021 - Daily Detroit

SMART Bus

Opinion: Detroit Area Stunted by Lack of Regional Transit

Improved connectivity and reliability in the region's public transit could stimulate growth and help build a more vibrant local economy.

June 21, 2021 - Michigan Advance

 Interstate 275 southbound at the w:Interstate96 split and M-14 junction

Detroit-Area I-275 Project Set to Start Work in July

MDOT will begin to repair and modernize a 24-mile segment of Interstate 275 this summer.

June 11, 2021 - HometownLife

HUD

Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities

A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.

June 2, 2021 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

New York City Traffic Cop

Reopening New York, New Jersey and Connecticut: Is May 19 Too Soon?

Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths are dropping in the U.S. Govs. Andrew Cuomo, Phil Murphy, and Ned Lamont jointly announced on May 3 that their states would lift most restrictions on May 19. Experts and residents have mixed reactions.

May 11, 2021 - The New York Times

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit as a Model for 'Building Back Better'

Cities have more experience, and examples, than they might realize when it comes to reinventing systems of investment and governance to recover from the economic ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 11, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Los Angeles, California

Two Demographic Firsts, Both Losses, for California

The nation's most populous state learned from the Census Bureau last month that it would lose a congressional district for the first time in its history. On Friday, it revealed that 2020 was the first year since 1850 to experience a population loss.

May 10, 2021 - CALmatters

COVID-19 Pandemic

Pandemic Still Surging in Parts of the U.S.

Bloomberg News' 'Evening Briefing' on April 29 looked at the global pandemic, noting the horrific scenes in India, Brazil's rising death toll, and added, "Coronavirus mutations are also wreaking havoc in America." Oregon is their focus.

May 2, 2021 - Bloomberg News

COVID-19 Pandemic

Pandemic to End in California on June 15, Governor Decides

Gov. Gavin Newsom has foreseen the end of the pandemic that has killed over 61,000 Californians and has taken a page from his Republican counterpart in the second most populous state by setting a date when all restrictions will be lifted.

April 21, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

Pandemic Public Health

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.

April 14, 2021 - The New York Times

Book in the Park

Fourth Surge May Be a Second Wave

The CDC announced on April 7 that a coronavirus variant first detected in the U.K is now dominant in the U.S. "In some ways, we're almost in a new pandemic," said one prominent public health expert earlier about the more transmissible variant.

April 12, 2021 - The New York Times

Pandemic Public Health

Pandemic Geography: What's Going on in Michigan?

Public health experts may speculate about whether the U.S. is headed for a fourth surge or moderate increase in cases, but the resurgence is well underway in Michigan where the virus was spreading the fastest. Only N.Y. has more daily infections.

April 4, 2021 - Bridge Michigan

Suburban Homes

Dan Gilbert Announces $500 Million Investment in Detroit Neighborhoods

Dan Gilbert, the billionaire credited with the revitalization of development interest in and around Downtown Detroit, made a bombshell announcement in his first in-depth interview since suffering a stroke in 2019.

March 26, 2021 - The Detroit News

Public Transit

Pandemic Watch: What's Going on in Europe?

A coronavirus resurgence is spreading across much of Europe, forcing Italy into a new lockdown a year after it became the first Western country to resort to the drastic measure. The coronavirus has returned in the form of more transmissible variants.

March 18, 2021 - The New York Times

Detroit Transit

Cultivating a Culture of Transit

How Detroit, historical home of the U.S. automotive industry, can create a culture of transit and the equitable transportation system its residents need.

February 23, 2021 - David Gifford

Detroit Motor City

Detroit's Unique Climate Challenges

As climate change intensifies, Detroit could see more devastating floods and deadlier heat waves.

January 27, 2021 - Planet Detroit

Biden administration

Biden Selects Energy Secretary and New National Climate Advisor

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a U.C. Berkeley professor, is Biden's choice to lead the Energy Department. A new position, national climate advisor, will be filled by former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, current head of the NRDC.

December 18, 2020 - Greentech Media

Blight Demolition

$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit

Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.

October 29, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit Vacant

Detroit Continues Demolition Program After Lead Risks Revealed

The city of Detroit said it would halt a demolition program after a report revealed the amount of lead released by demolitions into the environment, risking the health of children and other local residents.

October 20, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit Fairgrounds

Dormant Michigan State Fairground Site to Make Way for Amazon Distribution Center

Detroit officials have been trying to find a new life for the former site of the Michigan State Fair for a long time. Amazon will fill the void, according to a redevelopment proposal announced last week.

August 16, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

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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.