United States

Close-up of person spraying pest control

Getting Medicaid to Pay for Pest Control

For children who have asthma, pests like cockroaches and mice can trigger allergic reactions and lead to recurring and expensive hospital visits. Could insurers save money by investing in housing-based improvements like pest management services?

June 8, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Los Angeles in 1939, as determined by the  Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC).

Restorative Housing Policy: Can We Heal the Wounds of Redlining and Urban Renewal?

Our fair housing laws enshrine an approach that prohibits us from explicitly referring to race, even in programs intended to undo the harm caused by racism. Now restorative housing policy is attempting to directly confront this history.

June 8, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

Maricopa County, Arizona

Major U.S. Metro Areas in a Transition Period, According to Census Analysis

The nation's growth slowed from 2010 and 2020, according to 2020 Census data, and demographers are still trying to figure out what population trends mean for the future of country's major metropolitan areas.

June 8, 2022 - Brookings

Transit map for Washington. D.C.

Federal Program To Award $450 Million to University Transportation Centers

The program will fund research on mobility, congestion, safety, and other crucial transportation issues.

June 7, 2022 - U.S. Department Of Transportation

Trailer Parks

The Housing Crisis in America’s Mobile Home Parks

With demand surging and rent costs rising sharply, mobile home parks are becoming unaffordable for their most vulnerable residents.

June 7, 2022 - The Washington Post

Factory Emissions

Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible

With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

June 7, 2022 - Berkeley Lab

Racing Cars

Let’s End Traffic Stops

The technology to make traffic enforcement obsolete is becoming available. But in the U.S. willing to use it?

June 6, 2022 - Angie Schmitt

Aerial view of warehouses in San Bernardino, California

Communities Near Warehouses Unprotected by Outdated Zoning Codes

Today’s massive modern distribution centers have outsized impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. But outdated zoning codes often let them slip through the cracks with no environmental review.

June 2, 2022 - Next City

Amtrak

$368 Million in Rail Investments Announced

The Federal Railroad Administration announced a round of grant funding for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act tripled the amount of funding for the program.

June 2, 2022 - Federal Railroad Administration

Woman sitting on bench at rural bus stop

Transportation Challenges for Older Rural Americans

Vast distances and inadequate funding pose problems for the rural transportation services that older adults rely on to access essential services.

June 2, 2022 - NBC News

Aerial view of West Orange, New Jersey

The Sound of Music City: Orange, NJ

Music naturally brings people together. In Orange, New Jersey, organizers show how “creative placekeeping” finds its strength in the relationships that are formed within the community.

June 2, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

House with accessibility ramp

Leaky Roof? A USDA Home Repair Option

One USDA program has given out over $1 billion in rural home repair grants since its inception, and could be inspiration for similar programs in urban and suburban communities as well.

June 1, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

The top floors of a row of pre-fab apartments or condos are shown against a blue sky.

How an ‘Aversion to Change’ Worsens the Housing Crisis

A long-standing tradition of opposing multifamily housing construction continues to hamper housing production even as demand for affordable options grows.

June 1, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Diablo Canyon Nuclear

Extending the Life of California's Largest Power Plant

Gov. Gavin Newsom has notified the U.S. Department of Energy of his interest in using funding included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to extend the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant slated to close in three years.

May 31, 2022 - Bloomberg News

For Rent

Americans Find it Increasingly Difficult To Move

High housing costs and low supply are making it harder for American families to move as household dynamics and job opportunities change.

May 30, 2022 - The New York Times

Highway Construction

Federal Environmental Justice Program Could Worsen Outcomes in Low-Income Neighborhoods

Without more specific regulations, the Justice40 initiative, which requires spending 40 percent of federal funds in underserved areas, could fund projects that increase emissions and pollution.

May 30, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

A woman on an electric bike and two women on electric scooters wait at an intersection for the light to change.

The Electric Scooter Rebound

The nascent electric scooter rental industry came close to total collapse during the pandemic, but riders are back in bigger numbers than ever and the companies hope to build momentum on growing concerns about the climate impacts of transportation.

May 29, 2022 - Bloomberg

Gas station prices sign

'Are Gas Prices Too High?'

Nominal gas prices have never been higher. But are they too high? The question was posed by the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources to the Secretary of the Interior during a committee hearing on May 19.

May 29, 2022 - The Washington Post

Multi-Family Housing

Zoning Reform Works, but Is No Magic Bullet

Improving housing affordability and boosting housing production requires more than just eliminating single-family zoning.

May 26, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Transit Oriented Development

Feds to Award $13 Million for Transit Oriented Development Planning

A newly bolstered competitive grant program administered by the Federal Transit Administration has announced a new round of funding.

May 26, 2022 - Federal Transit Administration

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.