United States

Colorful blocky apartment building facade.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software

Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

April 1, 2025 - Stateline

Close-up of small brown mushrooms growing in soil and moist green moss.

Harnessing the Power of Fungi for Environmental Cleanup

Mycoremediation — the use of fungi to break down or absorb environmental pollutants — offers a promising, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative to conventional methods for restoring contaminated sites.

April 1, 2025 - ecohustler

Two white and red Stadler electric Caltrain trains next to each other on a sunny day.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?

U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

March 30, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Construction workers on a suspended platform are installing thermal insulation on the facade of a modern apartment building, improving energy efficiency and reducing heat loss during cold weather.

Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks

HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.

March 28, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Sign above entrance of United States Department of Transportation.

Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?

USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.

March 28, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Glass building with green tree behind it.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials

C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

March 27, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Small boat stranded on cracked dry earth in Lake Mead area during a drought.

NOAA: Southwest ‘Megadrought’ to Persist

Roughly 40 percent of the 48 lower U.S. states are currently in some state of ‘abnormally dry conditions.’

March 27, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Brick buildings on small town street with red awnings on first floor businesses.

Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health

A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.

March 26, 2025 - Great Lakes Echo

Red rock landscape in Bears Ears National Monument, Utah.

New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands

An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.

March 26, 2025 - Rocky Mountain Community Radio

Black SUV viewed from rear in traffic.

Study: Larger Vehicles Lead to More Congestion

New research links large SUVs to lower traffic throughput.

March 26, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Herd of cows standing in front of wind turbine in grassy field in Texas.

Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal for First Time

Solar and wind power generated close to a third of U.S. electricity supplies in 2024.

March 25, 2025 - Governing

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

White and blue hybrid electric public transit bus in San Jose, California.

Beyond Congestion Pricing: Strategies for Revolutionizing Urban Mobility

How cities are leveraging data and technology to improve their transportation networks and reduce traffic.

March 24, 2025 - Timothy Menard

Close-up of "City Hall" plaque on building with gold lettering on black.

Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?

Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.

March 23, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up on door handle with door key inserted and blurred furnished room visible beyond.

$5 Billion Rental Assistance Fund Set to Run Out of Cash

“No additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming,” HUD announces.

March 20, 2025 - News From the States

Close-up on car dashboard with odometer and speedometer at night.

Can State Lawmakers Make the Case for Road Charges?

More state legislatures are considering fees based on vehicle miles traveled as a replacement for declining gas tax revenues.

March 20, 2025 - Governing

Orange sign with white "Electric vehicle charging only" sign outdoors with tree in background.

10 States Follow Through on Promise to Put 3.3 Million EVs on the Road

Rebate programs are at the heart of collaborative success.

March 20, 2025 - Oregon Capital Chronicle

Louisville, Kentucky skyline with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Louisville Launches ‘Anti-Displacement Tool’

After a years-long, tenant-led effort, Louisville will use a new tool to analyze whether a proposed housing development can meet a neighborhood’s housing needs and income levels. If it doesn’t, the city won’t subsidize it.

March 19, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Small white wooden church at edge of large concrete lot with rolling hills or golf course in background.

The YIGBY Movement: Unlocking Church-Owned Land for Affordable Housing

As the housing crisis deepens, interest in faith-based development is spreading across the country. How do YIGBY zoning laws work, where are they being implemented or introduced, and what could it mean for communities and churches?

March 18, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

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.