United States
Affordable Rentals Hard to Find
The housing stock of affordably priced rental units is down in the U.S., according to this report from The Washington Post.
Jane Jacobs and the Downfall of Planning
Is urban planning losing its relevance as a profession? Some say yes. In this essay from Places, Thomas Campanella suggests that the roots of this fall from grace lie in the era of Jane Jacobs.
Cities Embracing Complete Streets Policies
States and local governments across the U.S. are adopting strong complete streets policies, reports the National Complete Streets Coalition. The new report rates written policies on the strength of their inclusion of a list of policies.
Amid Down Market, Developers Try Harder to Lure Homebuyers
Single family home sales are down in the U.S., which is driving some developers to try to spice up their deals by offering incentives like new cars with purchase.
The Fall of the Suburbs
In this wide-ranging post for The Atlantic, the NRDC's Kaid Benfield explores some of the major trends playing out in urban and suburban America, and how the suburbs are less and less the dominant urban form in the market.
Do Stop Signs Make Streets Safer?
When communities feel like street traffic is unsafe, they usually demand stop signs or traffic lights to be installed. But studies show that those devices may actually make streets less safe.
The Case Against Redevelopment Agencies
An article in City Journal praises Governor Jerry Brown's efforts to defund California's redevelopment agencies at a time when the state faces a $26 billion deficit. The author writes that the agencies are wasteful and ineffective.
Bikenomics and the Energy Crisis
Writing for Grist, Elly Blue explains that part of the solution to the oil/energy crisis in the United States is to approach the issue as a transportation issue, not a geopolitical one. She especially advocates for increased bike use.
When is Historic Preservation Just Misplaced Nostalgia?
With projects in the U.S. and the U.K., architect Rafael Vinoly attempts to navigate "the hazy and treacherous borderlands that lie between architectural history and public nostalgia."
An Interview With the Director of NYC's Active Design Program
Joyce Lee discusses NYC's Active Design Guidelines and how they address the relationship between urban form and public health.
Planners and the Jane Jacobs Conundrum
When it comes to Jane Jacobs, planners pick and choose what they find useful, says Roberta Brandes Gratz, missing Jacobs central argument for grass-roots, bottom-up planning. Gratz reviews a new book "Reconsidering Jane Jacobs."
Why Intercity Bus Travel is Growing
Intercity bus travel is the fastest growing mode of travel for the third year in a row. This piece from New Geography looks at why.
Making Cities 'Age-Friendly'
Americans are getting older. But are cities responding to the needs of their older residents?
Sharing Ideas for the New City
A new series of posters connected to a conference on "the New City" presents ideas for improving our urban areas. Urban Omnibus presents some of the posters.
Parking and Prices
This video from Streetfilms looks into parking and explores why underpriced parking can be bad for cities.
Building A Healthier Environment
The built environment plays a big role in public health, and the professions involved in creating the built environment need to pay more attention to building healthy places, argues Clark Manus, president of the American Institute of Architects.
Sharing Water in an Age of Shortages
As water resources become increasingly important in the American West, new tactics for sharing among farmers, environmentalists and urban officials are showing how arid areas can withstand shortages.
City Attempts to Find "The Right Price for Parking"
This week the city of San Francisco will launch its SFpark Program in an attempt to appropriately price street parking and reduce traffic due to people cruising for available parking spaces.
Urban Farming on Brownfield Sites
At a national conference on brownfields, representatives from the EPA outlined how to safely farm an urban garden on top of a contaminated site.
The Chinese Alternative to Home Ownership
In this article the author describes the Chinese practice of assigning individuals apartments which are little more than shells. He claims that the act of customizing the shell creates a sense of ownership similar to that of homeowners in the U.S.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
