United States

The Importance of Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure

Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is a part of transportation, whether some elected officials like it or not. In this piece from Citiwire, Neal Peirce writes that this fact is becoming increasingly clear.

July 19, 2009 - Citiwire

How Does Fuel Fuel American Lifestyles?

Americans will be forced to change their lifestyles as fuel prices rise. NPR's "Talk of the Nation" talks to author Chris Steiner about the good that might result.

July 19, 2009 - National Public Radio

China's Urban Policy Leaps While U.S. Lags

China's fast-paced development is making it into a major economic power. Its emphasis on urban policy is leaving the U.S. in the dust, writes Eugenie Birch.

July 18, 2009 - Citiwire

Randal O'Toole: The Man, The Contrarian

In the wake of his appearance on Capitol Hill, The New York Times delves into what makes Randal O'Toole tick.

July 17, 2009 - The New York Times

R.I.P. Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman, famed popularizing mid-century modern architecture through his photographs, died yesterday at the age of 98. In his honor, The Architect's Journal features some of Shulman's photographs and commentary.

July 17, 2009 - The Architect's Journal

GE's Home of the Future

General Electric has released a design for a Home of the Future, which is planned to be almost completely energy-neutral. As GOOD Magazine notes, the house is almost overloaded with gadgets to get you there.

July 17, 2009 - GOOD Magazine

Congressmen Propose Water Trust Fund

A group of U.S. representatives has proposed the creation of a national trust fund for water infrastructure in the U.S.

July 17, 2009 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Make No Big Plans

Salon's Michael Lind argues that attempts to create "comprehensive reform" of anything is a recipe for disaster.

July 16, 2009 - Salon.com

Urban Bees in Brooklyn

Beekeeping is on the rise in urban areas, despite laws to the contrary. Some beekeepers are concerned about the decline in bee populations and are doing their part to change that- other see it as a way to nurture local food movements.

July 16, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

LA the "Meanest City"?

A new report on how cities criminalize the practices used by homeless people to get by on a daily basis names Los Angeles as the country's "meanest city" for its "Safer City Initiative."

July 16, 2009 - CommonDreams

LaHood on the Stimulus Package

Speaking today at the Center for National Policy in D.C., Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood touted the success of the ARRA stimulus package and answered questions on transportation bill reauthorization and other topics.

July 15, 2009 - TheCityFix

7-Eleven Opening Stores, Not Closing Them

The convenience store announced it would open 200 new stores this year. A rep said that attractive locations had opened up for the retailer that were previously too expensive.

July 15, 2009 - The New York Times

Obama on Urban Affairs

Via the White House, here are the President's opening remarks at yesterday's roundtable discussions with the Office of Urban Affairs and the Domestic Policy Council. He highlighted success stories in Denver, Kansas City, and Philadelphia.

July 14, 2009 - WhiteHouse.gov

The Securitization of Public Space

Julia Galef takes a look at Secure Cities, a new website that maps the effect of security measures on public space since 9/11.

July 14, 2009 - Metropolis Magazine

White House Begins Urban Policy Creation

The White House is setting forth on its long-planned mission to craft a federal urban policy program. The effort kicks off with a daylong conference today.

July 13, 2009 - The Washington Post

Emphasizing the Urban Angle of National Parks

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has said he wants to bring park programs back into the lives of urban dwellers. This piece argues that a good place for him to start is one of the few urban national parks at St. Louis' Gateway Arch.

July 13, 2009 - STL Today

Don't Fall in Love with Light Rail Yet

Light rail is seen as a golden opportunity to revive inner cities. Not so fast, argues Alan Hoffman.

July 13, 2009 - Citiwire

Cities Creating Land Banks to Deal with Vacant Properties

Abandoned and foreclosed properties are plaguing many cities. Now some are trying to turn the blight into prosperity by creating land banks to hold, remodel or demolish the properties -- and pull in some revenue while they're at it.

July 13, 2009 - USA Today

Don't Fear the 'Dozer

Opinions are flying in the debate over whether or not ailing cities like Detroit should bulldoze their empty neighborhoods. John Kromer of the Fels Institute of Government adds a rational note with this op-ed, explaining what The Flint Model for shrinking cities actually entails.

July 13, 2009 - John Kromer

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.