United States

Golf

Conservation Easements: Crafted With Good Intentions and Now Exploited for Tax Benefits

A tax break designed to protect land has become just another massive tax loophole. It looks like conservation easements are here to stay.

December 29, 2017 - ProPublica

Shanghai Shopping

10 Stats That Explain the World in 2017

Looking for lessons about 2017?

December 28, 2017 - The Washington Post

Winter Storm

Study Ranks the 'Traffic Resilience' of Urban Road Systems

The inefficiencies of daily commutes set aside, the road systems of some cities are not prepared to deal with unexpected events that disrupt the transportation system.

December 28, 2017 - WTOP

Gas Station SUVs

The Return of the Full-Sized SUV

The auto industry has decided that SUVs are the right product to market to the largest generation in U.S. history.

December 28, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

A Review of a San Diego Homeless Shelter by One of its Clients

Orlando Barahona has chronicled his experience as a homeless person, as well as his ideas for addressing the homelessness crisis, in various publications and his own blog. In this post, he reviews a homeless shelter in which he is a "client."

December 27, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Affordable Housing

More Fallout on Affordable Housing from Tax Bill

While the low income housing tax credit was retained, banks will be much less willing to purchase them due to their reduced corporate tax rate. That's just one way H.R. 1 will exacerbate divisions between the rich and poor in America's cities.

December 27, 2017 - The New York Times

For Rent

Has the Rental Market Peaked? If So, That's Good News for Low-Income Renters

A new Harvard study reports that the rental market began to decline this year, and may continue to drop as higher income renters become homeowners. However, the report was released a week before the GOP tax cuts bill was signed.

December 26, 2017 - Business Insider

PATH Train

Financing of Hudson River Rail Tunnels in Peril

A funding agreement between New York, New Jersey, and the U.S. DOT for one of the most important rail projects in the nation is in danger of collapsing because of the way the two states are financing their share of the $12.9 billion cost.

December 26, 2017 - Crain's New York Business

White House

The Most Popular Posts of 2017

All the planning news that's fit to print.

December 26, 2017 - James Brasuell

Electric Car

Transportation in 2018: Three Predictions

Paul Lewis of the Eno Center gives his forecast of how next year will play out. Prospects for new technologies are good, but come with caveats.

December 26, 2017 - U.S. News & World Report

Scott Pruitt

Details of the Massive Exodus at the U.S. EPA

The Trump Administration is working toward cutting 3,200 positions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Already 700 employees, including 200 scientists, have left.

December 25, 2017 - ProPublica

Caribou and Brooks Range, Arctic NWR

Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Allowed with Passage of GOP Tax Bill

When President Trump signs the tax-cutting bill, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will have achieved a family dream of opening up the pristine refuge, created 37 years ago, to drilling.

December 24, 2017 - The New Yorker

Developers Allege Conspiracy to Thwart Waterfront Development in New Jersey

A lawsuit claims that the town of Edgewater and its most prolific developer worked together to defeat a proposal for yet another high-rise development with views of Manhattan

December 24, 2017 - The New York Times

Uber Lyft Departure

An Uber-Lyft Duopoly Could Benefit Customers

As monopolies, especially local ones, loom in some other industries, Uber's predominance has been slipping. Will a duopoly between Uber and Lyft be enough to ensure quality ride-hailing?

December 23, 2017 - City Observatory

Brick and Mortar Retail

Retail Job Decline Tilts Toward Rural Areas

While warehousing and ecommerce jobs are steadily increasing in most parts of the country, rural areas are particularly hard hit by the struggles of the retail sector.

December 22, 2017 - Indeed Hiring Lab

Mobile Grocery Store

Turning Parking Spaces Into Grocery Stores

The Moby Mart is an autonomous, staffless, mobile store, turning every parking space in the world into a potential new 24-hour store.

December 22, 2017 - Modern Cities

Amtrak Cascaded

Focus on Positive Train Control after Amtrak Train 501 Derails in Washington

Excessive speed is thought to be the cause of the deadly derailment on Dec. 18. Positive train control, which likely would have slowed down the train, was installed on the tracks and locomotive but was not yet operational.

December 22, 2017 - RailwayAge

Boise Idaho

Which States Grew Fastest; Which States Lost Population

The U.S. Census has released new state-level population data for the past year.

December 21, 2017 - U.S. Census Bureau

Atlanta, Georgia

The Best New Bike Infrastructure of 2017

PeopleForBikes surveys the best new additions to bike networks around the country, and finds a lot to celebrate.

December 21, 2017 - People for Bikes

Hurricane Sandy

Moody’s: Climate Change Will Affect Your Credit Rating

The agency has created an economic incentive for cities, states and counties to deal with environmental threats.

December 21, 2017 - NPR

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.