History / Preservation

Flood Damaged Suburb

Hurricane Harvey and the Failure of the National Flood Insurance Program

Houston's most recent natural disaster is only the latest example of how a program created to help homeowners has been a greater benefit to the industries that profit from them.

December 15, 2017 - Houston Chroncle

Delray, Detroit

A Detroit Neighborhood 'Sentenced to Die'

A handful of Delray residents refuse to be displaced by industry, but the plan for a new bridge may mean they don't have a choice.

December 13, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

California from Space

Can We Know Which Homes in California Will Burn?

As the state's worst wildfire season ever refuses to end, an analyst from UCLA considers how land use and building codes determine the location and extent of the damage.

December 11, 2017 - The Conversation

Archaeological SIte

Researchers Warn Historic Sites Could Be Washed Away By Rising Seas

Researchers have created a digital database of archaeological sites in the U.S.—and thousands could be lost to sea-level rise.

December 1, 2017 - Pacific Standard

Southwest LRT

Barrier Wall Could Delay Southwest Light Rail in Twin Cities

A proposed 1.4 mile safety barrier may require additional review, and could further delay the project

December 1, 2017 - MinnPost

Baltimore Rowhouses

Baltimore Confronts Underinvestment in Communities of Color

As part of an interdepartmental effort, the city's planning department is embedding an explicit equity lens into how it considers the distribution of civic resources.

November 29, 2017 - Next City

Cross-Laminated Timber

Timber Industry 'Bracing' for Soaring Demand

Building with wood is back in fashion, but lumber producers have to reckon with thorny politics and new timber-based materials that have yet to be truly defined.

November 28, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Harvard Square

The Community Takes Ownership of Harvard Square

Harvard Square bears the name of a prestigious private university, but it's still public space. More community organizations are taking a role in determining its future in an era of change for the historic location.

November 26, 2017 - Harvard Magazine

Greenwich Village

The Lessons Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander Still Have to Teach

Robert Steuteville reviews Cities Alive, by Michael Mehaffy, describing the newly released book as "an important analysis for urbanism."

November 21, 2017 - Public Square: A CNU Journal

Rebuild Foundation

Recognizing the Achievements of Black Urbanists

Blogger and planners Pete Saunders is acknowledging black urbanists from all over the spectrum of civic involvement.

November 21, 2017 - The Corner Side Yard

New York Public Art

The 'Deliberately Unkind' Public Art of the High Line

"You could be forgiven for reading the art as a message to less-than-opulent New Yorkers: You’ve lost your place," writes Michael Friedman.

November 16, 2017 - CityLab

Downtown Houston

Rebuilding by Design, This Time in Houston

History shows that there's more than one way to control flooding, but the best ideas are also urban amenities.

November 11, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

London 1854

The 1854 Map That Transformed Public Health in Urban Areas

Disease mapping made a significant leap forward in the 19th century, and data scientists and geographic information scientists are still contributing to the public health field.

November 11, 2017 - Sidewalk Labs

Divine Lorraine Hotel

Save the Historic Tax Credit, Save Buildings in Philadelphia and Elsewhere

Renovations of historic structures in Philly are an example of the nationwide importance of the historic tax credit.

November 11, 2017 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Tulsa Arkansas River

How Tulsa Beat Flooding Without Saying 'Climate Change'

An oil town in a red state proves we don't have to talk about climate change to adapt to it.

November 9, 2017 - Governing

Tesla

Electric Vehicle Sales Would Take a Hit With GOP's Tax Cut

The House GOP tax plan, which Trump wanted to name the "Cut, Cut, Cut" bill, was intended to cut taxes, but it's also cutting credits, like the federal $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit. How much would its elimination affect EV sales?

November 6, 2017 - The Hill

1970s

David Simon on the Uniqueness of New York

The creator of "The Wire" talks to CityLab about "The Deuce," New York City in the 1970s, and how strategies for one town won't always work for another.

October 30, 2017 - CityLab

North Carolina Map

Friday Eye Candy: Highly Detailed Cold War Era Soviet Maps of the U.S.

A new book sheds light on maps created by cartographers in the Soviet Union that dove into remarkable detail about buildings, transportation networks, and other infrastructure in cities across the United States and around the world.

October 27, 2017 - National Geographic

Nashville, Tennessee

13 Cultural Landscapes At Risk of Disappearing

Threats facing major U.S. cultural sites today include development, drilling, and the federal government.

October 26, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Haarlem, Ntherlands

Adaptive Brew-Use

The Associated Press explores the trend of churches rebuilt as breweries.

October 10, 2017 - Associated Press via Miami Herald

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.