United States

Road Diet

To Build More Affordable Housing, Start With Narrower Streets

New research shows that reducing wasteful use of street space and eliminating overly wide streets would increase opportunities for housing development and higher density.

September 1, 2021 - Route Fifty

Chicago ADA Access

Centering Non-Drivers Would Improve Infrastructure for All

Inadequate infrastructure disproportionately harms people with mobility challenges who can't or don't drive, but their needs closely mirror those of all pedestrians.

September 1, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Homes

The Limits of Citywide Upzoning

A study shows zoning reform isn't a silver bullet for the housing crisis. In some low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods, it could 'cause more harm than good.'

September 1, 2021 - Next City

Florida Climate Change

Americans Are Moving Toward Climate Risk

More Americans are ignoring the realities of climate change emigrating—even as more and more climate refugees flee the damage.

September 1, 2021 - Redfin

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The 'Mountain Lion' Cities Rising in the U.S. West

An economist identifies the growth in nine U.S. cities—scattered from Utah to Texas, Arizona, Washington, and Idaho—as similar to the economic power generated in parts of Asia.

August 31, 2021 - Full Stack Economics

San Francisco Muni

Where Did the Federal Transit Funding Go?

The final infrastructure deal cutting by more than half the transit funding proposed in the American Jobs Plan.

August 31, 2021 - Eno Transportation Weekly

Single-Family Housing Construction

Watch: The Laws and Policies Driving Up the Cost of Housing

A Vox explainer video tackles the rising cost of housing in the United States.

August 31, 2021 - Vox via YouTube

An image of Washington D.C. with highways and the streaks from car head and tail lights in the foreground, and the Washington Monument in the background.

The History of Federal Infrastructure Funding: As Determined by the Founding Fathers

The ability of the federal government to fund, and define, infrastructure, owes itself to a history of state and federal leadership at the dawn of the nation's existence.

August 31, 2021 - The Washington Post

How's My Driving

To Save the Climate: Driving Habits Must Change

Even with ambitious electric Vehicle adoption, the United States must reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent before the end of the decade to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to new research by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

August 30, 2021 - Rocky Mountain Institute

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

As Heat Waves Become More Common, Bus Shelters Are Needed to Keep Transit Riders Onboard

As climate change brings prolonged, intense heat waves to cities once associated with rain and cold weather will have to attend to the lack of shelter provided to bus and transit riders.

August 30, 2021 - The Seattle Times

Coronavirus

Landlords, Investors Lining Up to Evict Non-Paying Tenants

Rental housing is booming business, and some landlords and their investors see additional dollar signs in the potential to evict tenants protected by eviction moratoria up until this point in the pandemic.

August 30, 2021 - The Intercept

Two young people wear masks while standing outside in Florida.

Florida Judge Rules That Governor Overstepped Authority in Banning School Mask Mandates

A group of parents won the first round on Aug. 27 in a state circuit court in a dispute with the governor and state education agencies over the ability of school boards to require all students to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

August 30, 2021 - WFLA

Suburban Neighborhood

Pew: More Americans Prefer Big Homes, Longer Distances to Retail and Amenities

The pandemic has resulted in an an increasing preference for sprawl among Americans, according to the findings of a recent Pew Research Center "American Trends Panel."

August 29, 2021 - Pew Research Center

Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Eviction Moratorium

The majority opinion claims the CDC overstepped its authority and calls for congressional approval of any further eviction moratoriums.

August 29, 2021 - New York Times

An image of a sign asking people to wear masks during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Louisiana's Health Care System on Brink of Collapse

We've been here many times before in the pandemic, but without the benefit of a vaccine. Gov. John Bel Edwards, one of a few governors to mandate mask-wearing indoors, warns of a collapse of the health care system, but also rules out restrictions.

August 26, 2021 - The Advocate (Louisiana)

Wildfire

Carbon-Offset Forests Are Burning Up in Wildfires

Wildfires are consuming forests designated for carbon storage to fight climate change, highlighting the fragility of these carbon offset schemes.

August 26, 2021 - The New York Times

Los Angeles County

Subsidizing High-End Housing for Middle-Class Renters

Using joint power authorities, local governments can purchase luxury buildings, avoid property taxes, and offer lower rents for qualifying tenants.

August 26, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Texas Apartment Construction

Apartment Construction Ramps Up to Meet New Demand

It's unclear if or when the supply of entry level rental housing options will catch up with the demand, but some cities are building quickly.

August 26, 2021 - RentCafé

Highway Construction

How the Environmental Review Process Privileges Highway Construction Over Transit

U.S. transit projects have a much harder time getting environmental approval than road projects, perpetuating the dominance of cars in U.S. transportation policy.

August 25, 2021 - Slate

Water rushes over a spillway at a large concrete dam.

Congressional Bills Could Hit Refresh on U.S. Dams

The 21st Century Dams Act, a proposal to remove four dams on the lower Snake River, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act all have a chance to redefine the country's approach to dams and watersheds.

August 25, 2021 - American Rivers

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.

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.