New Mexico
In two U.S. cities, new technology is rewarding slower driving with a quicker commute
Albuquerque, New Mexico and Portland, Oregon have introduced traffic lights that are red by default, and turn green faster if drivers approach while going at or below the speed limit.
Trump to allow drilling, mining near world heritage site
A UNESCO spokesperson said the world heritage committee has consistently considered mining and drilling near sites to be “incompatible with world heritage status.”
Why a Colorado River water conservation agreement is so hard to reach
As the nation's two largest reservoirs hit their lowest levels on record, what would it take to avert the crisis? An expert weighs in.
BLM could allow oil leases near sacred New Mexico Indigenous sites
The Bureau of Land Management is considering removing protections from roughly 336,000 acres surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Santa Fe Collects First Payments From Tax on Million-Dollar Homes
The 3% tax on home sales of $1 million or more has elicited a lawsuit and backlash from local realty groups.
Santa Fe Becomes First US City to Tie Minimum Wage to Rent
The city’s minimum wage increases will be tied to the Consumer Price Index and local market housing costs.
In the Nation’s Deadliest State for Pedestrians, Albuquerque Drivers Must Now Stop at Crosswalks for all Pedestrians
The city updated its traffic code for the first time in 50 years.
Albuquerque Bookstore Owner Sues City to Continue Housing Homeless Neighbors
A bookstore owner who was fined for letting unhoused people camp on his property is asserting that the city’s actions are unconstitutional.
Albuquerque Remains Committed to Free Transit
Ridership on the city’s transit system has gone up by 20 percent since they eliminated bus fares in 2022.
Could Planners Adopt a 'Place Sherpa' Role?
Building upon the framework of a local housing panel, Chuck Wolfe suggests that advocacy and policy discussions would be enhanced by a “sherpa mindset” that focuses on lived experiences, facilitates applied knowledge of urban places, and promotes stakeholder discussion.
Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing
A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.
Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.
New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.
New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan
As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.
Innovation in Energy: Repurposing Depleted Wells for a Sustainable Future
New Mexico's HB 361 proposes repurposing depleted oil and gas wells for energy storage and geothermal development, offering a potential solution to both electricity shortages and environmental challenges.
Public Lands Can Help Us Tackle the Housing Crisis in the West
The U.S. owns more than 650 million acres of public lands, and it has the power to sell or lease limited parcels for affordable housing. But mass disposal of public lands, as some legislators have proposed, is not the answer.
Avoiding Misplacement of a Place
To balance the interests of current residents and economic well-being, does a city's signature identity need an update?
‘Newbie Humility’ Meets the ‘Imported NIMBY’
In a precautionary essay about moving to another place, Chuck Wolfe explains tensions between simple and practical community life and newcomers’ arguably gentrification-laced expectations.
High Ozone Levels Threaten New Mexico Oil Town
The small community of Loving, New Mexico has higher ozone levels than dense cities like Los Angeles.
Property Taxes Cuts on the Ballot in at Least Eight States
From completely eliminating property tax to creating new exemptions, voters in eight states across the country will cast their votes on a variety of ballot measures that could have major implications for local budgets.
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 Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
