United States

Let's Talk About Civic Crowdfunding and Government Responsibility
A reply to skeptics about the democratic power and potential of civic crowdfunding platforms.
Amtrak Crash Shuts Down Northeast Corridor Service on Sunday Morning
An Amtrak train that originated in Boston and headed to Savannah, Ga. struck a backhoe working on tracks about 15 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Two Amtrak construction workers in or near the backhoe were killed; 31 train passengers were injured.
Los Angeles River Restoration Going From Grassroots to Glam
As excitement around the L.A. River revitalization heats up, neighbors of the once-neglected channel wonder who will benefit from the billion-dollar redevelopment.

Canada Is Looking Better and Better
Alan Mallach unpacks a remarkable project currently underway in Toronto, suggesting that sometimes higher, rather than lower, density may be the best way to go.
'Supply-Side' Arguments, and Why Geography, Scale, and Migration Matter
When it comes to housing, supply and demand isn’t as simple as it seems (or as simple as some boosters would like us to think), and a supply-side strategy will not work in every context to address affordability, including in hot neighborhoods.

Congress to Bail Out the Football Stadium Industry
There are only 30 NFL teams in the country—and many of those still have stadiums within the 15-year window of obsolescence for stadium facilities.

New U.N. Form-Based Code Guidelines: Like 'Agenda 21 Times 2'
There are few political third rails in the world of planning like Agenda 21, a nonbinding United Nations resolution often found at the center of planning controversies in the United States.
20 Google Chrome Substitutions for Planners
Extensions that automatically change the appearance of words in the Google Chrome browser have provided serious laughs. Now for a planning edition.

Power Rankings: Celebrity Advocates
Nothing helps an advocacy organization like name recognition. Brad Pitt, for instance.
Philadelphia City Planning Commission Wins National Planning Award
The Philadelphia City Planning Commission has been awarded the American Planning Association's 2016 "National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency."
Could Tent Cities Work in California?
Seeking new approaches to a growing homelessness problem, Sacramento officials recently toured the "tent cities" of Seattle.
Benchmarks: Places on the Move Measure Up
All Planetizen readers should read the full 200-page Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2016 Benchmarking Report. If you haven't taken the time yet, Hazel Borys shares some of the best bits.

Peak Millennial: Looking Past the Numbers
Two articles look at millennials, cities, and the future. "Peak Millennial" refers to the numbers of millennials moving to and from cities. Grist's Ben Adler looks at why urban millennials are moving to suburbs, and what can be done to address it.
Meet Flow: Google's Transportation Data Revolution
Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs is readying a product called Flow to help cities and counties make the most of transportation data. The news is another step along the path to a future version of transportation.
A Detroit Design School Seeks a Seat at the Table
Academic institutions can play a major role in enriching the communities they operate in. Amy Deines, interim dean of the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University in Detroit, discusses the city and school's trajectory.
U.S. Gasoline Consumption Up, Oil Production Down
Gas prices are on the rise, though they will remain well below 2014 levels through this year. U.S. oil production dropped by 600,000 barrels from last year, while gas consumption is on track to break the 2007 record thanks to cheap gas and more SUVs.
Op-Ed Urges Pasadena to Adopt Balanced Homeless Measures
Pasadena should adopt measures that couple homeless services with controls on aggressive panhandling and camping in certain areas of the city, urges Jonathan P. Bell, urban planner and Pasadena resident.

No Business as Usual in an Autonomous Vehicle Future
Among the reasons to reconsider new investments in expanded roadway capacity: the impending revolution in transportation that will arrive when cars start driving themselves.
Canada Ready to Renegotiate Critical Columbia River Treaty
The U.S. and Canada have come to an agreement that it's time to renegotiate a treaty that governs the management of dams and water along the Columbia River—one of the largest rivers on the continent.

U.S. Won Space Race but Lost High Speed Rail Race
The U.S. ranked 19 out of 20 for countries with high speed rail service according to a new survey by GoEuro.
Pagination
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Laramie
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency