United States

Silicon Valley

Solar Power Turning Energy Consumers Into Energy Producers

As the energy grid evolves to accommodate more and more solar energy, conflicts emerge.

May 7, 2017 - 99% Invisible

Electric Cars

EVs Not Exempt From California’s Transportation Infrastructure Plan

Governor Jerry Brown and the California Legislature reached a historic agreement to raise the gas tax, but electric vehicle owners will now be required to pay a yearly fee, Will this impact EV sales in the US's best market?

May 6, 2017 - The Planning Report

Bridj Van

Bridj Comes to a Halt

Bridj's bet that it could, well, bridge ride-hailing and public transit didn't pay off. Lacking new investment, the company is shutting down.

May 5, 2017 - CityLab

Where It's Cheapest to Build Out a New Office

With so much attention paid to the nation's housing crisis, it's still important to keep an eye on other kinds of uses. The office market is full of surprises, like cheap office build out costs in a city infamous for residential gentrification.

May 5, 2017 - Globe St.

Chicago Lake Michigan Trees

Study: Greenery Improves Quality and Length of Life

Living near vegetation appears to be linked to a longer life and better mental health—for women, at least.

May 5, 2017 - CNN

Uptown Oakland

Which U.S. Cities Are Growing Inclusively?

Research from Brookings identifies metro areas with economies that are not only growing, but growing in an equitable way. The list is short, but may offer some insights.

May 5, 2017 - Brookings

Beer

Friday Funny: The Onion Likens Gentrification to a Butterfly's Metamorphosis

The satirical website takes on the darling of community and economic development: the local craft brew industry.

May 5, 2017 - The Onion

Jane Jacobs

'Citizen Jane' Sets the Battle Lines for the Future of Cities

Coinciding with the 101st anniversary of Jane Jacobs's birth, a documentary film showing in select theaters around the country recounts the history between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses, and the ideas that forced their struggle.

May 4, 2017 - James Brasuell

High Point, Seattle

Water-Smart Green Infrastructure: The Private Sector Steps Up

A new Urban Land Institute Report details the increasing implementation of citywide green infrastructure networks, including investments on both public and privately owned sites.

May 4, 2017 - Katharine Burgess

Low Gas Prices

Trump Open to Hiking Gas Tax to Fund Infrastructure Package

Like so many of the president's assertions, the statement, made in a Bloomberg interview on Monday morning, could be open to interpretation, but he's gone where none of his predecessors since Bill Clinton on the issue of raising the gas tax.

May 3, 2017 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Oil Rig

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Reverse Obama's Coastal Drilling Ban

So much for that so-called "permanent" ban that President Obama enacted by President Obama in December to end oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean and off the central-northern Atlantic coast.

May 3, 2017 - The Washington Post

Pollution 2

Appeals Court Ruling Favors Trump—Strike Two Against Clean Power Plan

An appeals court on Friday granted the Trump Administration's request to suspend lawsuits on the Clean Power Plan, dealing a major blow against President Obama's signature climate initiative to reduce carbon emissions from existing plants.

May 2, 2017 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

Affordable housing

A Path to Looser Land Use Regulations

Harvard economics professor Edward Glaeser discusses the research on local land use controls, and why it makes sense to reevaluate them. Successful approaches may start at the state level.

May 2, 2017 - Brookings

Wildlife

Parks Employees Surveyed on Sustainability

The people who work for city parks and recreation departments were surveyed about sustainability successes and challenges.

May 2, 2017 - Next City

Housing Construction

Op-Ed: Affordability Depends on Market-Rate Housing

California State Senator Scott Wiener argues that advocating for subsidized affordable housing isn't enough. Anyone concerned with ending the state's housing crisis needs to get behind market-rate development.

May 1, 2017 - Art + Marketing

Roman Forum

Top Twitter Feeds for 2017

Make Twitter great, for once.

April 30, 2017 - James Brasuell

Turnstiles

Joined at the Hip: Transit Use and Walkability

Zak Accuardi argues that while mobility services can enhance transit, only walkability can solve the "first and last mile" problem.

April 30, 2017 - TransitCenter

Washington D.C. Row Houses

Home Ownership Changes, by City and Ethnicity

According to new data released from the real estate website Trulia, Washington, D.C. experienced the largest gain in Black homeownership in the United States over the past 25 years, Chicago had the biggest expansion of Latino homeownership.

April 30, 2017 - DCist

Crash

DUIDs Surpass DUIs as Cause of Fatal Vehicle Crashes

2015 was the first year that driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) surpassed those killed while driving under the influence of alcohol. Increased legal access to marijuana is correlated with the surge. Amphetamine use is also a factor.

April 29, 2017 - The Washington Post

A Community Benefits Proposal is Ignored. Is Displacement Far Behind?

A tent city occupation in Atlanta is among several recent actions in cities around the country. Residents fearing displacement at the hands of publicly supported private development are organizing, and running for office, against it.

April 29, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

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.