United States

MacArthur Genius’s Mission: Enliven the Planning Process
Damon Rich wants constituents and professionals alike to get excited about the bureaucratic slog.

The World Series of Housing Markets
Comparing the housing markets of Houston and Los Angeles—two of the nation's metropolitan area's most commonly associated with auto-centric sprawl—before their respective Major League Baseball teams square off in the 2017 World Series.

2018 Conferences in Planning and Design
An annual sampling of some of the best professional development conferences in the coming year for the planning and design professions, by L.A. County Planner Clement Lau.
Prototypes for Trump's Border Wall Now on View in California
The U.S.-Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana received eight controversial additions over the weekend.

Dearth of Data Masks Scale of Distracted Driving Fatalities
Bloomberg links the uptick in traffic fatalities throughout the United States to rising smartphone use while driving.

Analysis Debunks Equity Criticism of Congestion Pricing
Oregon's recently approved gas tax legislation also calls for tolling of I-205 and I-5 in the Portland metro area, with the application of value or congestion pricing so peak period tolls would be higher, which have raised equity concerns.

Which U.S. Cities Changed the Most This Decade
Analysis looks at a decade of data to determine which communities are undergoing dynamic transformations, and which are standing still.

Data Shows a Tepid Post-2008 Recovery in America's Cities
According to data compiled by the Lincoln Institute, public revenue and spending on the local and municipal levels hasn't truly bounced back following the Great Recession.

Study: It's the Land That's Making Housing Expensive
A new study explains why so many small homes have such a massive price tag in desirable coastal areas: It's not the coast of building; it's the value of the land.

Navigating the Unchartered Waters of U.S. Housing Policy: Current Challenges and Solutions
Vincent Reina, Penn IUR Faculty Fellow, writes about the current state of U.S. housing policy.

Suburban Office Parks Gain New Life As Millennials Grow Up
With some tweaks and upgrades, surburban office parks are reinventing themselves to attract new tenants and the millennials ready to start families in the 'burbs.

Friday Funny: Crass Bumper Sticker Finally Coughs Up its Traffic Data
You know the bumper sticker. It's the one that begins with the words "How's My Driving?" and ends with a 1-800 number.

How Amazon Is Expanding Brick and Mortar Presence
Is retail dead? Amazon doesn't think so, and has been slowly growing a fleet of physical stores that look quite a bit different from their traditional retail counterparts.

A Playbook for Achieving Meaningful Development Regulation Reform
Most cities know they need new development regulations, but it's much, much easier said than done.

Lessons in Public-Private Transit Service Contracts
A new report from TransitCenter and the Eno Center for Transportation evaluates public-private transit service contracting, finding a cautionary tale in New Orleans among its six case studies.

Is Population Growth Worth Fixating On?
While mayors of shrinking cities do all they can to buoy a discouraging metric, others ask whether population growth is all it's cracked up to be.

Ross May Be Immune from the Amazon Effect
Ross Stores continues its expansion in the face of a much-foretold retail apocalypse. The shopping experience it provides may be one reason it can stand up to Amazon.

Study: Urban Renters Move Often, and Voluntarily
The usual narrative of gentrification and displacement often assumes a static population. According to this study, urban renters move around very frequently, and most (but not all) of their moves are voluntary.

Where's the Concern About Spiking Traffic Fatalities?
Traffic fatalities are increasing faster than any time since the 1960s, but it's hard to notice much concern from the United States.

Autonomous Vehicles and Urban Contexts: It's Time to Engage All Stakeholders
At the 2017 Autonomous Vehicle Symposium, a group of experts were asked to predict the effects of autonomous vehicles in two case study communities, and to generate a list of proposed policy actions to prepare for a future of autonomous vehicles.
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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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont