United States

HUD

Republican Bills Would Gut HUD's 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' Rule

Republican-sponsored congressional legislation would rescind a landmark achievement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Obama Administration.

January 24, 2017 - National Low Income Housing Coalition

EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Could Weaken California's Efforts to Fight Climate Change

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt suggested that as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency he might not allow California to set its own stricter motor vehicle emissions standards.

January 24, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Public Wi-Fi

Why Sadik-Khan Succeeded in Making NYC's Streetscape Safer

A review and summary of Janette Sadik-Kahn's "Street Fight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution," by Bay Area architect and environmentalist Todd Jersey.

January 24, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Polar Ice Caps

The Obama Administration Got a Final $500 Million to the U.N. Climate Fund

It may be the last U.S. contribution the fund sees for some time.

January 23, 2017 - Grist

HVAC

Study: Density Better Than Retrofits for Emissions

Just because a study says density is more effective than energy system retrofits in reducing emissions, doesn't mean that we have to settle for just one.

January 23, 2017 - Grist

Toll Road

Poll: User Fees Preferred Over Tax and Bond Financing for Infrastructure

A Reuters' poll on a national infrastructure investment program shows some support for a plan similar to one suggested, though not detailed, by Elaine Chao, President Trump's nominee for transportation secretary.

January 22, 2017 - Reuters

Climate Change Removed from White House Website

Well, that didn't take long! Goodbye Obama Clean Action Plan and restrictive environmental regulations; hello shale oil and gas revolution.

January 22, 2017 - Planetizen

 Decatur Marta station

How Planning Can Put the Access in Mobility

The Brookings Institution has announced a new "Moving to Access" initiative.

January 21, 2017 - Brookings Institution

Denver Biking

A Changing Neighborhood Is Not an Unstable One

Disavowing the perils of NIMY-ism. The difference between stability and sameness and allowing a city to change

January 21, 2017 - Modern Cities

President of the United States

One of Trump's First Actions Comes From HUD

A reduction of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) annual mortgage insurance premium rates was scheduled to take effect on January 27. One of the Trump Administration's first actions was to suspend the reduction.

January 20, 2017 - Reuters via Yahoo News

Succulent

Myths and Realities About Cycles: Avoiding the Inevitability Trap

When we start to liken housing and neighborhood cycles to the kinds of predictable, unstoppable cycles found in nature, we may find ourselves in a dangerous trap.

January 20, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Subway Station

Trump Budget Blueprint Would Nix Federal Transit Spending

Reports from inside the Trump transition are that the incoming administration will follow a budget blueprint laid out by the Heritage Foundation—public transit not included.

January 20, 2017 - The Hill

Capitol Hill

Over 275 Architects Agree: Trump Should Focus on Climate Change

An open letter to President-elect Donald Trump, signed by 276 architecture and design firms, argues that the country's new leader should build the economy by protecting the environment.

January 20, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Montezuma Castle National Monument

U.S. Housing Stock Aging Fast

Age is only a number, they say. But that number is growing for the nation's housing stock, just like for the rest of us.

January 19, 2017 - Realtor Magazine Online

Bank Owned

The External Costs of Vacant Homes

It might seem obvious that vacant homes attract crime and other noxious elements to surrounding properties, but researchers are still working to quantify those external costs.

January 19, 2017 - Next City

Traffic

NACTO Releases Principles for Transportation Data Sharing

New "Data Sharing Principles," by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), provide guidance for municipalities hoping to make use of new data sharing opportunities.

January 19, 2017 - National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

Homeless

Sunbelt Blues: Overlapping Poverty and Inequality

Poverty and inequality are bad things, but what happens when they coincide? A new study points to a startling increase in the number of U.S. counties suffering from both problems.

January 19, 2017 - CityLab

Road Construction

Op-Ed: On the Pitfalls of Federal Spending

Charles Marohn of Strong Towns makes the case that whoever's in the White House, simply increasing federal spending on infrastructure isn't the wisest move.

January 19, 2017 - Strong Towns

Water Main

Report: How Do Local Water Utilities Measure Up?

With the federal funding situation uncertain, water utilities are left in widely varying financial positions. Comparing local utilities across six metrics paints a grim picture.

January 19, 2017 - Brookings Institution

EPA Rejects Automakers' Bid to Reduce Fuel Economy Standards in Midterm Review

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that existing technology allows for increased efficiency in model years 2022 to 2025. The 2011 rule to achieve 54.5 mpg by 2025 required a 'midterm evaluation' to see if the final target was achievable.

January 18, 2017 - The Washington Post - Energy and Environment

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.