United States

Stockton Foreclosure

How Many Homeowners Became Renters During the Great Recession?

Trulia has undertaken an in-depth analysis of American Community Survey data to reveal some of the impacts of the recession on the housing market.

February 13, 2016 - Trulia

Transportation Secretary Foxx Wants to Go Out With a Bang

Governing profiles Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx's ambitious goals to change the way the country thinks about transportation.

February 11, 2016 - Governing

5 Ways to Improve Life in Homeless Encampments

As cities struggle to deal with the persistent challenges of homelessness, one writer suggest there's a better way to address the problem than by simply clearing out homeless encampments and tent cities.

February 11, 2016 - Crosscut

'Smart Cities Challenge' Attracts a Crowd

A competition with $50 million at stake, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, recently completed its submission deadline. The U.S. DOT reported shock at the level of interest in the competition.

February 11, 2016 - Roadshow

Google Self-Driving Car smaller

Google's Self-Driving Car Had a Big Week

Breaking news came in a pair this week for Google's self-driving car technology.

February 11, 2016 - Quartz

Supreme Court Puts Obama's Key Climate Initiative on 'Hold'

In an unusual move that doesn't portend well for the EPA initiative, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Power Plan Rule that reduces emissions from existing power plants be suspended while it is heard by the Court of Appeals this summer.

February 10, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Why We Need a Better Definition for NIMBY

It's possible that the ill effects of NIMBY obstructionism are enabled by a lack of understanding about how and why NIMBYism works.

February 10, 2016 - CityLab

Old Man Cyclist

New Study Reveals Causes of Lower American Life Expectancy

A study published February 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association points to three reasons for the life expectancy being lower for Americans than in other developed nations. Care to guess what they are?

February 10, 2016 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Strip Mall

The Impossible 'Dream Cities'

A book review of the newly released book, "Dream Cities," by Wade Graham.

February 9, 2016 - The New York Times

Strategic Land Use Planning Could Lower the Cost of Wildfires

New research says land use patterns have increased the costs of wildfire protection, so strategic land use planning would help lower the costs of wildfire protection.

February 9, 2016 - University of Wyoming

How to Make Bikeshare More Popular

While bikeshare is popular with planners and local officials all over the country, in some cities it still hasn't proven popular with people. One author has some thoughts on how bikeshare can begin to attract larger numbers.

February 9, 2016 - The Urban Edge

Teaching Urban Planning to Pre-Schoolers

Teaching Urban Planning to Pre-Schoolers

An experiment involving colorful Legos, big pictures, and "Where Things Are From Near to Far."

February 9, 2016 - Pete Sullivan

Eminent Domain, Northern Pass Enter New Hampshire Republican Debate

One of the more lively parts of Saturday night's Republican debate were the interactions between candidates Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, and the audience who booed Trump. But it hid a more serious matter—the use of eminent domain for the Northern Pass.

February 8, 2016 - Raw Story

When Regressive is Progressive

With the two Democrat candidates debating who is the real progressive, it would be interesting to see how they would respond, if asked, about President Obama's proposed $10-per-barrel fee to fund a 21st Century Clean Transportation System.

February 8, 2016 - The New York Times

New Orleans Fire Truck

Why So Big? Rethinking Fire Truck Design

When they're not extinguishing actual flames, fire trucks can seem comically over-sized on city streets. Replacing portions of the fleet with smaller response vehicles might save money without sacrificing capability.

February 7, 2016 - CityLab

United States from Space

Mapping the Trends in Pollution

Good news for the United States is found in a recent series of maps by NASA. Air pollution has significantly improved around the country.

February 6, 2016 - The Washington Post

Lead Poisoning in Children Common in Other Parts of the U.S.

The case of the lead contaminated waters in Flint, Michigan has renewed a national discussion of lead poisoning in children across the United States.

February 6, 2016 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Friday Eye Candy: The Nuclear Missile Sites of Los Angeles

The former locations of nuclear missile sites are more mundane than you probably realize. Geoff Manaugh explores satellite images of Los Angeles, and other cities, for examples.

February 5, 2016 - Travel + Leisure

pallets of green oil barrels stacked

Obama's Bold Transportation Funding Proposal Likely to Go Nowhere

President Obama, long opposed to increasing the gas tax, has proposed a $10-per-barrel oil fee to be paid by energy companies. It will fund his 21st Century Clean Transportation System to reduce carbon emissions and promote new vehicle technology.

February 5, 2016 - Politico

Parking

A New Era of On-Street Parking Policies

The influence of Donald Shoup's classic book, "The High Cost of Free Parking," is becoming more and more apparent in more and more cities around the country.

February 5, 2016 - Pew Charitable Trusts

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.