United States

Environmentalism

Let the Climate Resistance Begin

States and cities are reacting to President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement on Thursday. Three states formed the U.S. Climate Alliance; by Monday, it had grown to 13. Initially 30 mayors signed in support; it's now over 200.

June 6, 2017 - Planetizen

L.A. Data Viz

A New Tool for Agent-Based Modeling

This tool from Sidewalk Labs lets planners draw upon vast quantities of data to create agent-based models, simulating who gains and loses when changes are made.

June 6, 2017 - Next City

City Dogs

How Planning Can Help Dogs and Humans Co-Exist

Not everyone is sold on the idea of dogs as "man's best friend," and not everyone is comfortable navigating a public realm where dogs are crowdsourcing their marks. What are planners to do?

June 6, 2017 - Planning Exchange

Species Protection

Concern Grows Over the Fate of the Country's 'Largest Land Conservation Feat'

Western governors are concerned with signals from the Trump Administration about its intentions to kill a compromise deal to protect 165 million acres of habitat for the sage grouse.

June 6, 2017 - The Denver Post

Another McMansion

The Average American House Shrunk in 2017

For decades the size of the average American house has trended upward. 2017 saw that trend slow and reverse.

June 6, 2017 - Bloomberg

Conservation Distict

USDA Shake-Up, Trump Budget Could Be the Demise of the Office of Rural Development

A shake-up at the U.S. Department of Agriculture will likely impact the delivery of support and programs from the federal government to rural communities.

June 5, 2017 - Modern Farmer

Washington, D.C.

Inside the National Museum of African American History

Sights and scenes from the inside of Washington, D.C.'s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

June 5, 2017 - Modern Cities

Proterra Electric Bus

Transit Agencies Move Toward Electric Buses

Transit agencies from Washington to Florida are beginning to make the switch from diesel and natural gas-powered buses to battery electric buses, some faster than others.

June 5, 2017 - Sierra Club Compass

High Line with Denari

'The New Urban Crisis' and the High Line

A PBS NewsHour two-fer: an interview of urbanologist Richard Florida conducted in a walking tour of New York's famed High Line in the gentrifying West Chelsea neighborhood, a fitting backdrop for his new book, "The New Urban Crisis."

June 5, 2017 - PBS NewsHour

Los Angeles Downtown River

Climate Change Will Be Worse for Big Cities

Blame it on the urban heat island effect.

June 4, 2017 - KPCC

Rural Schoolhouse

Explained: The Many Definitions of Rural

Wisconsin provides a case study in the varied methods for defining rural, and why that matters. "Rural is not simple to define, perhaps because the real question is rural for what purpose?"

June 3, 2017 - WisContext

End of the Mall

Credit Suisse Says One in Every Four U.S. Malls Will be Gone by 2022

More apparel sales will move online, and department stores will continue to struggle in 2017.

June 2, 2017 - Business Insider

electricity infrastructure

Wanted: An Electrical Grid That Looks Like the Internet

All the coal industry's money has not been able to stem the growth of renewable energy and distributed generation. For the electricity grid, the future is already here.

June 2, 2017 - Quartz

A private club located in Florida

Friday Funny: Onion Satire Pits Preservationists Against Trump's Childhood Home

A totally fake news story from the fake news site The Onion reports the fake news that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading an effort to demolish Donald Trump's boyhood home.

June 2, 2017 - The Onion

Donald Trump

Breaking News: Trump Orders Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement

The decision means the U.S. will join Syria and Nicaragua as the only nations not to subscribe to the global agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. Trump attempted to leave the door ajar by stating that he would attempt to negotiate "a better deal."

June 1, 2017 - The New York Times

Green Line

Commercial Developers Favoring Transit Access

While the debates around transit-oriented residential development continue, commercial TOD is picking up speed. Offices with nearby transited to fetch much higher rents than their car-only counterparts.

June 1, 2017 - The New York Times

A Bridge that Bridges

A Solution for Massive Federal Funding Cuts: Think Hyper-Local

As concern grows over the potential loss of community development and planning funds at the federal level, Indigo Bishop writes to remind us that communities have the networks and resources to make it through periods of scarcity.

June 1, 2017 - Indigo Bishop

Chicago Argriculture

Only High Cost Premiums Can Make Urban Farming Pencil Out

Throwing cold water on the latest "techno-optimism" for indoor, urban agriculture.

June 1, 2017 - City Observatory

Border Wall

Lawsuit Targets Lack of Public Information on Trump's Border Wall

The Public Information Act has not been sufficient in getting the Trump Administration to divulge information about its plans to build a wall between the United States and Mexico.

June 1, 2017 - Center for Biological Diversity

Gentrification

Who's To Blame For Gentrification?

Journalist Peter Markowitz has written a provocative, and profoundly disingenuous, analysis of the causes and effects of gentrification in American cities. He sows division at a time that requires collaboration, writes Josh Stephens.

May 31, 2017 - California Planning & Development Report

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.