United States

Man with protective mask measures the moisture level on a white wall with green mold in an apartment.

In Rush to Build, Older Housing is Overlooked

Older homes provide an affordable housing lifeline, but poor conditions often lead to serious health impacts for residents.

November 29, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Aerial view of suburb outside Dallas, Texas with large single-family houses with enclosed backyards and green lawns.

The Rise of Zoning Reform

As the housing affordability crisis spread from mainly coastal cities to the rest of the nation, cities and states are taking a serious look at outdated zoning codes that hamper efforts to build more housing.

November 29, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

White and red Cruise self-driving car with "Self-driver in training" sign on back

Autonomous Cars Putting Strain on Local Governments

As the industry pushes ahead in fits and starts, local officials and first responders are scrambling to develop protocols for handling driverless vehicles.

November 29, 2023 - The New York Times

Red fire engine on street in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Getting Buy-in for Road Diets From Fire Departments

Proposals to narrow streets often meet resistance from emergency responders concerned about safety and access.

November 29, 2023 - Strong Towns

Close-up of driver's side of silver truck with cloud of dirty emissions from tailpipe.

FHWA Issues Emissions Tracking Rule

The agency will require states to monitor transportation emissions and create plans to address air pollution.

November 28, 2023 - Route Fifty

Close-up of bus driver from behind with only hand visible on steering wheel.

FTA Proposes Measures to Prevent Transit Operator Fatigue

Public transit is the only type of transportation not already subject to ‘hours of service’ and fatigue risk management regulations.

November 28, 2023 - Safety & Health

White and blue Kansas City streetcar at a station with LIberty Memorial column in background.

The Variable Benefits of Streetcars

An analysis of several streetcar systems shows that they bring different benefits based on a community’s goals.

November 28, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Makeshift shelter built by unhoused people on hillside overlooking freeway in Stockton, California.

Study: Homeless People Face Higher Mortality Risk

Unhoused adults are more than three times as likely to die in any given year as their housed counterparts, research shows.

November 27, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Diagram of visibility at urban intersection.

How ‘Daylighting’ Intersections Can Save Lives

Eliminating visual obstructions can make intersections safer for all users.

November 27, 2023 - Strong Towns

One-story Greyhound bus station in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Greyhound Abandons Stations at Travelers’ Expense

As the company shutters stations, passengers are left without shelter, basic amenities, and often farther from central cities and transit connections.

November 27, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Environmental Protection Agency sign

EPA Launches Environmental Justice Grant Program

The agency says the program is designed to be more accessible to smaller and underresourced communities.

November 26, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

stack of books

Planetizen’s Top Planning Books of 2023

The world is changing, and planning with it.

November 24, 2023 - Planetizen Team

Rendering of three-story shipping container modular building for affordable housing in Watts, Los Angeles.

The Promises and Limitations of Modular Housing

Converted shipping containers offer the promise of fast construction and low costs, but face regulatory and accessibility challenges.

November 23, 2023 - Metropolis Mag

Person on bike riding across zebra crosswalk in city.

A Little-Known Loophole Puts Cyclists at Risk

Crosswalk laws in most U.S. states don’t offer legal protections to people on bikes, scooters, or mobility devices.

November 23, 2023 - Des Moines Register

Colorful illustration of San Francisco downtown.

Pop-Up Shops are Reviving Dormant Downtowns

The future of downtown retail is uncertain. In the meantime, pop-ups fill the gaps and provide small businesses with unique opportunities to showcase their wares.

November 22, 2023 - Route Fifty

Aerial view of large parking lot in front of large grocery or big-box store with small fall-colored trees among parked cars and sunset sky in background.

It’s That Time of Year: #BlackFridayParking

An annual social media project underscores just how much parking goes unused, even on the busiest shopping days.

November 22, 2023 - Strong Towns

ederal Housing Finance Agency seal in downtown with closeup of sign and logo

‘Renters Bill of Rights’ One Step Closer to Reality

The Biden administration could strengthen tenant protections on a national scale by leveraging federally backed mortgages to mandate rent stabilization and bar discrimination in rental housing.

November 22, 2023 - Truthout

Close-up of car speedometer showing 120 mph speed with digitally displayed ' VEHICLE OVERSPEED' warning

How Speed Governors Could Save Lives

Most personal vehicles can travel at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, far above any U.S. speed limit. Why?

November 22, 2023 - Fast Company

White round pillars in empty office building with windows across all walls and white floors and ceiling.

Study: Office Conversions One-Third More Affordable Than New Housing

Where conditions are right for office-to-residential adaptive reuse, projects can be completed faster and at a significantly lower cost than new construction.

November 21, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Ground-up view of man using wheelchair waiting to board a light blue bus.

Commentary: Avoiding Ableism in 15-Minute Cities

One author calls on planners to challenge assumptions that exclude people with mobility challenges and other disabilities.

November 21, 2023 - The Conversation

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.