United States

A sin on a street in Chur, Switzerland lists public health precautions.

Swiss Vote to Retain COVID Mitigation Measures

A nationwide referendum held on Sunday, Nov. 28, on coronavirus measures enacted by the Swiss federal government, including the controversial Swiss Covid certificate (vaccination verification), passed with 62% of the vote.

December 7, 2021 - The New York Times

Denver Light Rail

Where Mayors Want to Spend Federal Aid

An annual survey reveals that mayors want to prioritize spending federal funding on homelessness, transportation, and social services.

December 6, 2021 - Route Fifty

A sign on a door says proof of vaccine is required to enter.

Compulsory Vaccination in the Birthplace of Democracy

Unlike the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination strategy that has largely been paused by federal judges, compulsory vaccinations have been approved by Greece's highest court. Mandates are passed by Parliament rather than by executive order.

December 6, 2021 - Deutsche Welle

An image of President Joe Biden at a meeting in the White House while wearing a mask in February 2021.

Biden's 'Path Out of the Pandemic' Imperiled by Multiple Court Decisions

The vaccine mandate that applies to federal contractors included in President Biden's COVID plan announced in September to slow the Delta surge was halted by a federal judge in Kentucky. That's the third requirement to be paused, leaving only one.

December 5, 2021 - Lexington Herald-Leader

Main Street

Inequality Grows in Western Zoom Towns

As demand for housing grows, small Western towns are experiencing skyrocketing housing costs and rising displacement.

December 3, 2021 - High Country News

A Metro Los Angeles bus driver is behind the wheel while wearing a mask.

Equity and Transit Go Hand in Hand for the Pandemic Recovery

Equity illuminates the light at the end of the tunnel for U.S. transit agencies, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.

December 3, 2021 - Urban Institute

NYC Subway Construction

Why Big Infrastructure Projects Go Over Budget

Most major infrastructure projects fail to meet projected timelines or budgets. Some experts say this is a structural flaw built into "systematically deceptive" estimate practices.

December 2, 2021 - The New York Times

A man passes by a store in an empty mall. A sign in the window of the store reads "Covid-19 Essentials."

Downtown Foot Traffic Recovering Slowly, Report Says

Pedestrian activity in U.S. downtowns is still way down compared to pre-Covid levels, but the numbers are ticking back up month by month.

December 1, 2021 - Globe St.

A sign on a door says proof of vaccine is required to enter.

Another Biden COVID Vaccine Mandate on Hold

Last month, a court stayed Biden's large private employer mandate that requires workers to be vaccinated or test-and-mask. On Tuesday, a federal district court judge stayed the vaccine mandate that applies nationwide to most health care workers.

December 1, 2021 - The New York Times

Dearborn Street Bike Lane

Cycling Rates Remain High Across the Country

The bike boom that began during the pandemic shows no signs of abating, according to a new report.

December 1, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

Highway Construction

How RAISE Grants Promote Car-Free Mobility

While there are many reasons to break away from automobile dominance, the RAISE grant program is the only federal effort fully reflecting a public transit and active transportation priorities.

December 1, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Coronavirus and Transportation

Lessons for Transit Ridership From Past Pandemics

While COVID-19 is a unique moment in American history, experiences from past pandemics shed light on how the pandemic might shape public transit ridership.

December 1, 2021 - Governing

Moving

Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative

Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.

November 30, 2021 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

An image showing a smart phone with information from the World Health Organization about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Omicron Variant: No Good Science Goes Unpunished

The discovery by South African scientists will enable the world to prepare for the newest coronavirus variant, but it will also cause enormous hardship due to the travel restrictions on flights to/from eight nations in southern Africa.

November 30, 2021 - The New York Times

HUD

Opinion: The Housing Crisis Isn't Going Away With the Pandemic

As the housing crisis rages on, the housing assistance infrastructure put in place during the pandemic can provide a model for long-term aid programs.

November 30, 2021 - Governing

San Francisco Muni

Climate Change Law: A Primer for Cities

A report from the Sabin Center provides a legal framework for municipal-level action on climate change policy.

November 30, 2021 - Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Eviction Crisis

Dissecting the Eviction Crisis

Attention to the human and economic costs of evictions predate the pandemic, but the economic disruption of the past two years has increased the need for better tools to measure and respond to evictions.

November 29, 2021 - National League Of Cities

Suburban Tract Homes

Fast-Rising Rents: Cause or Effect of Institutional Real Estate Investors?

More media attention for the growing influence of large, institutional investors on the housing market.

November 29, 2021 - The Seattle Times

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Biden Orders Release from Strategic Petroleum Reserve: What's the Emergency?

The purpose of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is to maintain oil flow to refineries during national emergencies when oil supplies are disrupted. What national emergency prompted President Biden to order the release of 50 million barrels?

November 29, 2021 - CNBC

Suburban Homes

What Is NIMBYism and How Do Affordable Housing Developers Respond to It?

NIMBYism is often expressed as concerns about crime, congestion, schools, property values, and “quality of life.” But when developments are built these fears rarely come to pass.

November 28, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.