United States
The Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Remake Downtown
Urban cores around the country were transforming into live, work, and play destinations before the pandemic. The pandemic was a setback for this transformation, but it could also be a rare opportunity. It’s up to city leadership to seize it.
Survey: Mayors Concerned About Direct Impacts of Climate Change
Almost all U.S. mayors have some level of concern about climate change in their communities, but local leaders face some challenges in taking action.
Wave of Household Growth Likely Cresting, Relieving Crowded Housing Markets
A recent series of data on the growth of households in the United States reveals the unprecedented scale of housing demand in recent years.
How Design Guidelines Can Reduce Road Safety
Signs and markings designed for traffic control can make conditions less safe for pedestrians and other road users.
HUD Plans to Revive Fair Housing Rule
The department is proposing an updated version of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which requires local governments to take action to end residential segregation.
Why the Gas Stove Debate Misses the Point
Banning gas-powered appliances is one part of a broader toolkit of changes in building codes that could vastly improve efficiency.
Redesigning Streets for Livability: A Global View
An excerpt from the introduction of the recent book, “Streets For All: 50 Strategies for Shaping Resilient Cities,” edited by Vinayak Bharne and Shyam Khandekar.
Zoning Has Support for Sprawl: Subdivision, Covenants, and Mortgages
Zoning codes are not the only kind of land use control that has built the U.S. residential market on the suburban model for more than a century, according to a recent article in The Urbanist.
Leveraging Federal Funding for Transit Accessibility
Just 8 percent of U.S. households live near “high-quality transit.” How can federal infrastructure spending help fill this gap?
Cities Need Data to Secure and Maximize Federal Funding
To secure and maintain federal funding for projects and programs, local governments need data to identify priorities, support grant applications, and monitor and track progress.
Advancing Equity with Census Data
The U.S. Census Bureau offers a variety of data and tools that can be used by policy-makers and the public to better understand underserved communities and advance equity.
Electric Car Batteries Spark Weight Concerns
A federal transportation official is warning that electric vehicle batteries, which can weigh thousands of pounds and make cars much heavier than their gas-powered counterparts.
Where Ridership-Only Service Design Comes Up Short
Jarrett Walker and Mathew Yglesias discuss one of the great quandaries of 21st century transit planning—how to increase cost effectiveness and ridership while also ensuring equity and service for underserved communities.
EPA Grants Target Environmental Justice
The agency will administer $100 million in grants to cities, states, and tribal nations as part of the Biden administration’s Justice40 initiative.
The High Cost of Climate Disasters
Extreme weather events in the United States cost $165 billion and killed more than 474 people last year.
How Mass Transit Can Adapt to Post-Pandemic Needs
With commuter ridership playing a smaller role in transit operations, agencies must reorganize their services around different travel schedules and patterns.
Over 40 Percent of U.S. Tenants Are ‘Rent Burdened’
Despite a small downturn in average rents at the end of last year, American renter households continue to struggle with unaffordable housing costs.
Zoning Reform: New Politics, Same Old Challenges
The political will for zoning reforms has never been stronger. The traditional opponents of development, however, are still finding ways to push back.
U.S. Fire Administration to Investigate Building Fires
New legislation gives the federal agency power to identify the causes of deadly fires and recommend improvements.
Problems or Solutions? TRBAM Underway in D.C.
One of the premier planning events of the year is underway in D.C.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.
