United States

Cars on highway in Colorado with snow-capped mountains in background

How Vehicle Ownership Impacts Roadway Design

New research assesses the potential implications of reduced car ownership on the design of roads and communities.

February 21, 2023 - The Washington Post

Children

Study: Extracurricular Activities Benefit Children’s Mental Health

A new study indicates that improving access to extracurricular activities (EA) may help address the growing mental health needs of children and caregivers.

February 20, 2023 - Academic Pediatrics

Tents inhabited by unhoused people in a Washington, D.C. park

D.C. Homeless Sweeps Contradict White House Policy

Just months after the Biden administration released a blueprint for ending homelessness focused on ‘person-centered’ solutions, federal officials are forcefully displacing unhoused people in encampments around the District.

February 19, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of multiple black and red Tesla cars parked in a lot

Recall Affects Over 360,000 Tesla Cars with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Software

Federal regulators are asking the carmaker to update the software on vehicles equipped with FSD due to its poor safety record.

February 17, 2023 - The Verge

Capitol Hill

Feds Could Take Back ARPA Funding in Debt Ceiling Talks

Aid dollars not yet distributed to states and cities could be part of a Congressional ‘clawback,’ prompting concern from local leaders.

February 16, 2023 - Route Fifty

Elderly woman wearing Covid mask holding up "Housing is a human right" sign during tenants' rights protest

Biden’s Renters’ Rights Blueprint: Meaningful or Not?

What should we make of the administration’s tenants' rights announcement?

February 15, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

Hailing a cab

Study: More Affordable Ride-Hailing Can Fill Mobility Gaps for Low-Income Households

Many low- and moderate-income Americans use ride-hailing services to reach essential destinations, but few find the services affordable.

February 14, 2023 - Uncovering JAPA

Central Subway Construction

Report: Why U.S. Transit Projects Cost So Much

Researchers analyzed the sources of increased costs in transit projects around the world, providing recommendations for how to bring down costs and improve efficiency.

February 13, 2023 - Transit Costs Project

Cash Buyout

All-Cash Home Sales on the Rise

Cash buyers are becoming more common in many U.S. real estate markets, even as the housing market begins to cool.

February 13, 2023 - The Washington Post

Outdoor parking lot full of cars

Cars Are Outgrowing Their Parking Spaces

As American vehicles grow taller, wider, and longer, more of them are having a hard time fitting in traditional parking spaces.

February 10, 2023 - Vice

A map showing proposed zones for future development in the city of Rochester, New York.

APA Releases ‘Equity in Zoning’ Guide

The guide provides a framework for assessing and improving equity in housing policy.

February 9, 2023 - American Planning Association

Cleveland

Cleveland: The Nation’s Most Equitably Walkable City

A new study assesses which cities have the broadest access to walkable neighborhoods.

February 8, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Arizona Canal

HUD Grants Total $315 Million for Continuum of Care for the Unhoused

An unprecedented federal grant program, announced earlier this month, will support continuum of care for the unhoused in unsheltered and rural settings.

February 8, 2023 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Low close-up shot of black and pink Lyft e-scooters lined up on downtown Los Angeles sidewalk

Lyft Shifting to Docked E-Scooters

After failing to deliver on promises of frictionless, free shared mobility, the operator will begin docking its scooters at stations to reduce sidewalk obstructions and eliminate the need to collect scooters for recharging.

February 6, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Traffic Safety Advocates

Federal Initiative Calls for Action on Roadway Safety

Close to 50 governmental and nongovernmental organizations signed on to a pledge to take concrete action to reduce traffic deaths around the country.

February 5, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Protesters with signs in Atlanta after Tyre Nichols murder

Memphis: Crime-fighting Camera Sheds Light on Police Abuse

The irony is unmistakable. Public surveillance cameras, long controversial in the criminal justice community, provided pivotal video footage of the beating of motorist Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers at a traffic stop on January 7.

February 2, 2023 - The New York Times

Photo of cars on two-way separated highway with illustrated lines between them indicating tech-driven decisions

How Autonomous Cars Could Impact Energy Use

The complex algorithms used by self-driving vehicle technology use massive amounts of energy, which could lead to a steep rise in carbon emissions as autonomous cars become more commonplace.

February 2, 2023 - Dezeen

Overhead view of crosswalk with pedestrian median

Safe Streets Grants Announced

The federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program funds planning and implementation for road safety projects aimed at reducing traffic deaths and building safe infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

February 2, 2023 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Aerial view of Brent Spence Bridge over Ohio River

Federal Government Awards Over $1 Billion to Nine ‘Mega’ Projects

The funding comes from a discretionary grant program aimed at supporting infrastructure projects too massive or complex for traditional funding mechanisms.

February 2, 2023 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Aerial view from directly overhead of buses parked in large asphalt lot

U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis

Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.

February 1, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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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.