United States

America's Unequal Housing Recovery

Home prices are rising throughout the U.S., signaling a sustained recovery of the housing market. But declining homeownership rates and record levels of burdensome housing costs point to a recovery that's only benefiting some Americans.

June 27, 2013 - Housing Perspectives

Can Mobile Homes Help Solve America's Affordability Crisis?

Homeownership is slipping out of reach for many Americans, caused largely by the lack of affordable housing inventory. There is a solution to the inventory shortage that many buyers, advocates and policymakers are overlooking: Manufactured Housing.

June 27, 2013 - Rooflines

Report Questions Value of Energy Benchmarking

The premise behind the energy benchmarking laws found in many cities is that they will induce owners to increase the efficiency of their buildings. But a new report questions whether the investment in data collection leads to changes in energy use.

June 26, 2013 - Governing

Climate Adaptation: Is Miami Indefensible?

In advance of President Obama's long-awaited speech on climate change, NPR looked at climate adaptation - preparing for the environmental changes it will cause. Rising sea level is the topic. In the U.S., two cities stand out: New York and Miami.

June 26, 2013 - NPR

Supreme Court of the United States

U.S. Supremes Tighten the Screws on Exactions

The Supreme Court's ruling Tuesday in the Koontz case could have a chilling effect on all negotiations between government agencies and developers, says Bill Fulton. Are Alito and Kagan on the same planet?

June 26, 2013 - California Planning & Development Report

Housing Price Increases in Urban Areas Outpace Suburbs

As we've heard recently, home prices are on the rise throughout the United States. New research from Jed Kolko shows that increases are particularly acute in areas with high rises, multi-family housing, and a diversity of residents.

June 25, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Utilize Existing Assets, Rather than Mega-Projects, to Revive America's Legacy Cities

A new report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy examines American cities suffering significant population losses, and concludes that investing in existing assets such as historic areas and transit systems offers the best path to prosperity.

June 25, 2013 - At Lincoln House

Can Small Steps Prevent Massive Change? Obama Unveils Long-Awaited Climate Plan

It doesn't involve cap-and-trade or a major international protocol, but the sweeping climate plan unveiled by President Obama today is 'the most far-reaching effort by an American president' to address climate change. Best of all, it skirts Congress.

June 25, 2013 - The New York Times

The 8 Most Promising Ideas in Open Gov

This week, the Knight Foundation announced the eight recipients (out of 886 applicants) to share in $3.2 million in grant funds intended to promote the use of public data "to improve the way people and governments interact."

June 25, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Divergent Views on the State of America's Cities; Can They Both Be Right?

Kaid Benfield discusses two influential new publications that posit very different takes on the state of America's cities. While he finds elements to agree with in both, Benfield ultimately finds himself an optimist when it comes to our urban future.

June 25, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard Blog

By Urging Action on Climate Change, Kerry Ruffles Feathers in India

At the beginning of a two-day trip to India, the world's third largest emitter of carbon dioxide, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made solving climate change a focus of his public remarks. The U.S.'s own failures elicited skepticism from locals.

June 24, 2013 - Grist

HOT Lanes Slow to Catch on With Users

High-Occupancy Toll lanes have become a popular tool to help reduce congestion and raise revenues. But recent projects in cities throughout the U.S. have failed to meet expectations. Eric Jaffe investigates the reasons why.

June 24, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Can America Adapt Its Waterfronts Before They Drown?

America's voracious appetite for waterfront development continues, even as a future filled with rising seas and extreme storms becomes more evident. The most proactive coastal areas have begun planing for adaptation, but are they doing enough?

June 24, 2013 - The Economist

Bicyclists White House

A Dutch Evaluation of American Cycling

Warning: This five-minute video may be the most critical evaluation of American cycling conditions you will ever watch. After viewing, you may understand what separates cycling in the U.S. from that in The Netherlands - it's not just infrastructure.

June 24, 2013 - Bicycle Dutch

Car Graveyard

The ‘Driving Boom’ is Over: What Does That Mean for Communities and Transportation?

The trend toward less driving received national attention in May with the release of a report by US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), and the news has profound implications for both urbanism and transportation.

June 23, 2013 - Better! Cities & Towns

New Report Calls Attention to Need for Critical Bridge Funding

It may have been serendipity, but Transportation for America's new report on the sorry state of America's bridges, 11% are structurally deficient, was released the same day that a temporary replacement span opened on the Skagit River bridge in Wash.

June 23, 2013 - USA Today

Nice Tramway

Three Everyday Ways to Inspire Urban Change

Chuck Wolfe suggests three, perhaps non-traditional ideas for how to inspire acceptance of change in our cities through accessible experiences.

June 23, 2013 - The Huffington Post

Federal Complete Streets Mandate Gains Speed

Although nearly 500 localities around the U.S. have created complete streets policies, there is no federal mandate that they do so. That may soon change if a bipartisan bill introduced last week in the House of Representatives is passed.

June 22, 2013 - APA Policy News

Is Air Pollution Contributing to the Rise in Autism?

Asthma, cancer...autism. If you need yet another reason to abhor vehicle emissions and air pollution see a new report published in Environmental Health Perspectives which links in utero exposure to air pollutants to an increased risk of autism.

June 20, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Have You Noticed Fewer Cars on the Road Lately?

While the decline may not be visible, total auto ownership peaked in 2008 according to a new report by Michael Sivak of the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute. He set out to determine the cause - was it the economic recession?

June 20, 2013 - The Atlantic

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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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.