Government / Politics
Lawmakers Question ARPA Spending
Cities and states say the American Rescue Plan Act has been crucial to keeping the lights on during the pandemic, but some Republican lawmakers denounce spending on projects unrelated to COVID relief.
Increased Homeownership Won’t Close the Racial Wealth Gap
Despite the hopes pinned on it, homeownership is still too affected by institutionalized racism at every turn to be an equalizer.
Easing the Burden of High Gas and Housing Costs for Low-Income Households
Low-income families suffer most from dramatic spikes in housing and transportation costs, but governments can soften the impact through a series of actions.
Federal Rules Let States Count More Road Deaths as 'Progress'
The majority of federal infrastructure funding is not tied to federal requirements, letting states set their own targets for road safety and improvements.
Cincinnati To Electrify Municipal Fleet by 2035
The city of Cincinnati will beef up its efforts to shift to renewable energy starting next week with electric police cars, fire trucks, and other city vehicles.
Opinion: California's Article 34 Drives Segregation and Cripples Affordable Housing. It's Time To Repeal It.
A little-known provision in California's state constitution enables exclusionary policies under the guise of local control.
Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises
As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?
'Homes for All of Us' Initiative Eases San Diego Building Restrictions
The ordinance, which allows lot splitting and eases permitting for accessory dwelling units, is an effort to boost housing affordability.
Austin Considers Controversial Change to Affordable Housing Requirements
The city's commissioners are weighing the option of using neighborhood-level median income to set affordable housing restrictions, but the move could face lawsuits under the federal Fair Housing Act.
What Is CEQA?
Designed to assess the environmental impacts of new projects and provide mitigation measures, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has a controversial history, sometimes serving as a convenient tool for groups intent on stopping or slowing development.
Portland Extends Pandemic Public Space Programs
PBOT will continue two highly successful COVID-era programs that allowed businesses and community groups to repurpose public spaces for pedestrian-oriented uses and engage with customers in safe, accessible outdoor settings.
Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era
The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.
Detroit Launches Website To Track Spending of Federal Dollars
A new web portal allows Detroiters to see how the city is spending hundreds of millions in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Vancouver Set To Finalize Broadway Rezoning Plan
A plan to increase density along the city's 'Second Downtown' promises to bring badly needed housing to the corridor as the Broadway subway line nears completion.
San Francisco Fourplex Proposal Could Skirt State Law
A proposal before the Board of Supervisors could undermine the state's density law by upzoning the city to allow duplexes, a step housing advocates call a disingenuous effort to prevent higher density.
Pumping More Oil to Lower Gas Prices
Proponents of increased oil drilling in the U.S. to replace banned Russian oil argue that it will decrease prices at the pump. A Texas reporter examined the claim with a University of Texas energy analyst. If only it was that simple.
What Is a NIMBY?
One of the most politically charged and controversial terms in planning, the acronym NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard.
Opinion: How Micromobility Operators Can Stay Relevant
One micromobility CEO says operators should align themselves with cities' mobility, climate, and equity goals to maintain their relevance in the urban spaces of the future.
Dallas Neighborhoods Fight Toxic Zoning
Communities in south and west Dallas are working to introduce zoning reform that would reduce industrial pollution and hold companies accountable for their impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.
More Unhoused New Yorkers Died in 2021 Than in any Prior Year
New York City saw its deadliest year for people living in shelters or public spaces, with the pandemic and a rise in deadly overdoses fueling a fatal epidemic.
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
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
