Land Use

Green Schoolyards Offer Respite From Urban Heat
More schools are transforming asphalt-covered playgrounds into shady oases that help reduce temperatures and absorb emissions.

Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover
A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.

California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’
New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.

Texas High-Speed Rail Plan Calls for Eminent Domain
The proposed rail line would link Dallas and Houston via a 90-minute trip.

Creative Ways to Activate Roofless Buildings and Vacant Lots
Pocket parks aren’t the only way to repurpose underused urban spaces.

Office Vacancies Drag Down Property Taxes
Downtown office buildings around the country are selling for much lower prices than before the pandemic, prompting questions about the future of central business districts.

Puente Hills Landfill Redevelopment Plan Wins Award for Transformative, Climate-Responsive Design
This project to transform a former landfill into a climate-resilient public space has won the 2024 Global Impact Award from ASLA and IFLA for its innovative, community-driven design that addresses environmental and social challenges.

How Jersey City Dramatically Improved Its Public Realm
The city’s new Department of Infrastructure consolidates the management of public amenities and has guided the creation of new bike lanes, pedestrian plazas, and parks.

New Book Shows How Geographic Technology Tackles Global Challenges
In his new book, Jack Dangermond explores the transformative impact of GIS technology in solving global challenges through spatial data, highlighting its widespread application across sectors and its potential to design sustainable futures.

Texas Needs 300,000 Housing Units to Close Affordability Gap
The state’s comptroller warns that demand will continue to outpace supply without zoning reforms and a reduction in regulatory barriers.

How Park(ing) Day Leads to Permanent Change
Small-scale interventions can lead the way to major parking reforms.

Mall Redevelopment in Silicon Valley
Dead malls across the Bay Area are being transformed into R&D centers, housing, and transportation hubs.

California Bill Seeks to Balance Preservation and Housing Demand
A bill awaiting the governor’s signature would require cities to report new historic preservation ordinances and assess how they impact local housing supplies.

Montana Supreme Court Upholds Zoning Reform Bills
The decision invalidates a preliminary injunction that blocked two key housing bills.

How Cities Use Tech for Curb Management
Curb monitoring technology is helping cities build a growing understanding of the shifting demand for this valuable urban space.

Can NYC Produce Half a Million Housing Units in a Decade?
The city’s ambitious ‘City of Yes’ zoning reform plan requires a broad array of sometimes controversial policy changes.

Future Uncertain for Housing Program Tied to Farm Bill
A provision that allows the federal government to lease some of its lands for affordable housing development could lapse if Congress fails to renew the Farm Bill.

Small Towns Lead in Parking Reform
Small towns and communities around the country are eliminating parking requirements at a faster rate than big cities.

A Guide to Regulating Adaptive Reuse
How building codes and zoning laws can guide the safe and effective conversion of existing properties to residential units.

Fourth Ward Project Aims for Sustainability on Atlanta's Beltline
A new megaproject hopes to bring new life to a former industrial site.
Pagination
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