United States

Airbnb's Listings Expanded in 2015, but Many Don't Last Long
A new statistical analysis of Airbnb listings shows the short-term-rental service is growing worldwide, but suggests that many hosts don't stick with it. Intermittent commercial uses of residences could be seen in the planning context of "mixed use."

Good News on Car Sharing
Car sharing networks that allow the vehicle to be returned to any location were found to have the impact of removing seven cars for each rented car in San Diego in a three-year study released July 19.
$760 Million in Transportation Grants Coming Soon; South Side Chicago Projects Not Included
Illinois, Cook County, and city of Chicago officials were disappointed in their first effort to attract FASTLANE funding authorized by the U.S Department Transportation

Debating Elon Musk's Second 'Master Plan'
When Elon Musk talks, lots of people listen. Some also respond.

Talking Points for an Urban Agenda at the Democratic National Convention
Next City has released what it's calling an "urbanist's guide" to the Democratic National Convention.

EPA Report: Auto Manufacturers Will Meet 2025 Fuel Economy Standards
A new EPA report indicates that auto manufacturers will meet fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards relying largely on gasoline powered vehicles. Or will they? While likely to fall short of 54.5 mpg, they will come close enough.

Three Reasons Why High-Speed Rail Has Not Caught On in U.S.
If you guessed cheap gas, love of automobiles, or preference for air travel, you are correct, but those fall under one reason, "lack of demand." Two additional reasons are offered in this article for the construction industry.

Planetizen Week in Review: July 25, 2016
The Republic National Convention dominated the news last week, and for good reason. There was also eye candy for New York transit advocates and lots of new housing research to enjoy.

Meet the 'Top 10 Private Sector Disrupters in Transportation'
Names like Zipcar, Uber, and Musk can be found on the list, along with names that aren't quite household…yet.

4 Reasons Home Ownership Won't Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Homeownership is often promoted as a way for low-income and minority families to build wealth. But it is those very families who assume the most risk in buying a house.
The Part of Cleveland You Didn't See During the Republican Convention
WBUR's Here & Now ventures outside the Quicken Loans Arena to see a distressed part of the city and region, similar to parts of Detroit and Flint. Residents want abandoned homes demolished. Take the audio driving tour of East Cleveland.

Grants Awarded to Boost Agriculture Projects in Conservation Districts
Forty-two conservation districts in 25 state received grants totaling $2 million this week. The funding will create technical assistance opportunities for urban agriculture and conservation projects.

Transportation Catching Industry as the Leading Cause of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A new study from University of Michigan researchers tallies, and then compares, the greenhouse gas emissions from different sectors of the U.S. economy.

A Portrait of the Nation's Inclusionary Zoning Policies
The number of inclusionary zoning programs is growing quickly around the country. A recent study by the National Housing Conference takes stock of this prominent affordable housing tool.

Study: Bureaucracy Restricts Housing Supply
A recent study by Trulia concentrates on elasticity (i.e., the rate at which housing stock grows, relative to demand), and arrives at the conclusion that bureaucracy, not regulation, is responsible for rising housing prices.

Republicans Reveal an Anti-Urban, Anti-Public Transit Platform
The Grand Old Party platform calls for an end to using gas taxes for public transit as well as other non-road purposes like "bike-sharing," opposes increases to the 23-year-old gas tax, and would eliminate the U.S. DOT Livability Initiative.
New Player Emerges in Car Sharing Services
Arriving just in time in the District of Columbia, as Safe Track disrupts Metro service, General Motors launched 'Maven' to compete with ZipCar, Car2Go, and Enterprise car sharing services.

Participatory Budgeting Catching on in the U.S. and Canada
A new report from Public Agenda tracks the spread of participatory budgeting, and provides guidance for implementing such processes for maximum benefit to public engagement.
'50s Researchers Saw Architects as Key to Understanding Creativity
What would Richard Neutra do with a third arm? UC Berkeley researchers once asked him that and more, for science.
#TransitTrends Asks: 'Where Did City Planning Go Wrong?'
The transportation planning app moovel (formerly known as Ridescout) has created a YouTube series called Transit Trends that brings "explainer posts" to a new format.
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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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
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