United States

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

Making the Most of 'Opportunity Zones'

Created to speed investment in struggling communities, the federal Opportunity Zones program could also spur research into how capital can be better deployed on a district-by-district basis.

September 20, 2018 - The New Localism

Philadelphia Architecture

Robert Venturi, Author and Architect, Dies at 93

Urban design media mourned the passing of Robert Venturi this week.

September 20, 2018 - The New York Times

Photo of google sign outside of google cafeteria

New Google Search Engines Opens Open Data

Finding the right data in an ocean of open data takes some Googling.

September 19, 2018 - Government Technology

Traffic

Study Reveals the Futility of Building Out of Congestion

Even if widening highways enough to relieve all congestion were possible, it would only benefit a very small number of commuters, according to new research.

September 19, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Electric Car Charging Station

Phasing Out the Internal Combustion Engine No Easy Task

A report from the Global Climate Action Summit on a looming deadline set by the Paris climate agreement: ending sales of new gas and diesel-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035.

September 18, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Proterra Electric Bus

How U.S. Cities Are Taking Climate Action

A new survey identified the top climate strategies favored by municipalities around the country.

September 17, 2018 - Smart Cities Dive

Atlanta public library

‘Social Infrastructure’ and the Interactions That Bond Us

Richard Florida talks with sociologist Eric Klinenberg about his new book and the places and organizations that help hold society together.

September 17, 2018 - CityLab

Bloomingdale Trail

Everything About Tax Increment Financing

A controversial form of value capture, tax increment financing begs for further analysis and understanding. A new report by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy sheds light on the subject.

September 16, 2018 - CityLab

California Development

Construction Materials Increasing Building Costs

With the price of steel increasing significantly since the beginning of the year, the construction industry has little choice but to build through a more expensive process.

September 15, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Jerry Brown

California's Climate Leadership Put to the Test

A three-day global summit on climate action in San Francisco, hosted by Gov. Jerry Brown, is unlike other international climate summits in that it features "non-state actors," such as governors, mayors, and businesses, rather than nations.

September 15, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Solar and Wind Energy

Utilities Still Catching Up to Public Opinion on Renewable Energy

Renewable energy enjoys broad public support—the utility industry is more skeptical.

September 15, 2018 - Vox

Dallas

Federal Grants to Leverage Public-Private Partnerships for Faster Project Delivery

The Pilot Program for Expedited Project Delivery reflects the Trump Administration's approach to public transit investments.

September 14, 2018 - Federal Transit Administration

Factory Emissions

New Tool Calculates the Carbon Footprint of Cities

Google's Environmental Insights Explorer multiplies the power of Google Maps for the benefit of the planet.

September 14, 2018 - Fast Company

Townhouses

Get Ready, Suburbia: Apartments Are Coming

From high-rises to townhouses, the suburban multi-family market is growing fast.

September 14, 2018 - Governing

Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos Announces $2 Billion Fund to Support Homeless Services

After the company he founded fought off a tax to fund homeless and affordable housing funds in Seattle earlier this year, Jeff Bezos has announced a new $2 billion fund that will fund homeless services, among other efforts.

September 13, 2018 - GeekWire

Methane

Latest Obama-Era Regulations Targeted by the Trump Administration: Methane Rules

One Obama-era climate regulation still on the books deals with methane leakage from oil and gas wells. The greenhouse gas is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Another methane regulation targeted deals with flaring on federal lands.

September 13, 2018 - The New York Times

drinking fountain

Drinking Water Lessons from West Texas

Several cities in West Texas have a long history in wastewater reclamation, even using the water for drinking, due to the Texas drought. El Paso aims to build the nation's largest advanced purification project for direct water reuse.

September 12, 2018 - Quartz

Security Camera

Homeland Security Grants Aim to Harden Transit

Amtrak and a range of big city transit agencies have received federal grants to upgrade their security in the face of terrorism.

September 12, 2018 - Progressive Railroading

Urban Freeway

Final Piece of Eisenhower's Interstate System Complete

It's been over 60 years, but at long last a missing stretch of I-95 between New Jersey and Pennsylvania has been completed. Meanwhile, disrepair threatens the rest of the system.

September 12, 2018 - Quartz

Venice Beach Pedestrian and Bike Path

Weekly Scooter Media Brief: September 3–11

The news and opinions are filling newspapers and websites faster than electric scooters are filling sidewalks.

September 12, 2018 - Planetizen

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.