United States

Why Christopher Alexander Still Matters
The author of "A Pattern Language" and "Notes on the Synthesis of Form" had an outsize influence far beyond architecture and urbanism—and still does.

Lawmakers Question ARPA Spending
Cities and states say the American Rescue Plan Act has been crucial to keeping the lights on during the pandemic, but some Republican lawmakers denounce spending on projects unrelated to COVID relief.

Increased Homeownership Won’t Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Despite the hopes pinned on it, homeownership is still too affected by institutionalized racism at every turn to be an equalizer.

Easing the Burden of High Gas and Housing Costs for Low-Income Households
Low-income families suffer most from dramatic spikes in housing and transportation costs, but governments can soften the impact through a series of actions.

Federal Rules Let States Count More Road Deaths as 'Progress'
The majority of federal infrastructure funding is not tied to federal requirements, letting states set their own targets for road safety and improvements.

'Proptech' Companies Target Single-Family Rental Market
Startups aimed at streamlining the house-flipping process are seeking out rental property owners as the popularity of single-family rentals continues to grow.

NOAA Expects U.S. Drought To Continue and Spread
Low rainfall and unusually high temperatures are contributing to worsening drought conditions in more than half of the continental United States.

Urban Highway Removal: 4 Considerations for Reknitting a City’s Fabric
Making the right decisions to create a positive urban legacy.

Bigger Vehicles, Blindspots Contributing to More Pedestrian Deaths
A new study links bigger vehicles to a sharp increase in pedestrian deaths over the last decade.

We Now Can Build Really Tall Skyscrapers. But Why?
The new book Super Tall, by architect and writer Stefan Al, explains how the new generation of skyscrapers are built and how they fit into their respective urban fabrics.

Census Data: Black Americans Leaving Cities for Suburbs
The trend of Black Americans leaving urban areas for suburban communities mirrors the White Flight of the mid-20th century but for vastly different reasons and with vastly different consequences.

Mapping Biodiversity Risk
A partnership of researchers has created the most detailed map yet of the places where biodiversity is most at risk in the United States.

Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises
As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?

Second Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 11 marked the second anniversary of WHO's declaration of the pandemic and the beginning of its third year. Cases continue to plummet in the U.S. and plateau globally while war in Europe has overshadowed the virus that has killed 6 million.

Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era
The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.

How To Get Federal Infrastructure Funding for Bike Projects
How bicycling advocates can strengthen existing partnerships and make strategic alliances that will benefit cyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users.

Industry Continues to Push Back Against Carbon-Slashing Building Codes
The battle over the efficiencies and infrastructure required in building codes continues.

Pumping More Oil to Lower Gas Prices
Proponents of increased oil drilling in the U.S. to replace banned Russian oil argue that it will decrease prices at the pump. A Texas reporter examined the claim with a University of Texas energy analyst. If only it was that simple.

Opinion: How Micromobility Operators Can Stay Relevant
One micromobility CEO says operators should align themselves with cities' mobility, climate, and equity goals to maintain their relevance in the urban spaces of the future.

Wastewater System Upgrade Plans Already Out of Date
Some Midwest cities' plans to upgrade decades-old sewer systems rely on outdated rainfall predictions as flood risks grow due to climate change and shifting weather patterns.
Pagination
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.
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