Land Use

New Haven, Connecticut downtown skyline with fall foliage in foreground.

New Haven Reaches for Reinvention Amidst Failures of Urban Renewal

Seeking recovery from decades of failed urban renewal projects, New Haven rings in the new year by continuing a series of small-scale urban planning initiatives to reinvent its municipal spaces. 

January 12, 2025 - Governing Magazine

Low angle view of busy crosswalk with pedestrians and a bike.

Planning Year in Review 2024: An Ongoing Housing Crisis, the Fight for Climate Resilience, and a Mixed Bag for Transportation

A pedestrian safety crisis, rising housing instability, and destructive extreme weather events set the stage for an eventful year.

January 12, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Colorado flags draped between buildings in downtown Denver, Colorado.

Denver Pauses Multifamily Development in Westside Neighborhoods Amidst Gentrification Concerns

City officials say the pause on permits for redevelopment projects aims to stop the displacement of long-term residents.

January 9, 2025 - Governing

Close-up of white sign with red letters "NO THRU TRAFFIC"

The Link Between Urban Design and Crime

A meta-study shows that public realm interventions can help reduce crime rates.

January 9, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

For Lease painted on window of vacant commercial space.

2024: The Year in Zoning

Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.

January 8, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of Mission Rock development in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Development Centers Pedestrians, Public Space

The Mission Rock project eliminates street parking, replacing it with public seating and landscaping.

January 7, 2025 - Fast Company

Pedestrian and bike trail under Miami Metroline elevated tracks.

Miami’s Underline Linear Park Offers Recreation, Transportation, Conservation

A 10-mile park that runs under the Miami Metrorail is nearly complete and features bioswales for water conservation and public recreation facilities.

January 7, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of yellow pedestrian crossing signal button with text "Push button for accessible signal" and diagram of person holding cane, indicating blindness.

Accessibility and Car-Free Zones

Some critics of car-free zones call them exclusionary to people with disabilities, but other experts argue that, when properly planned, pedestrian enhancements improve safety and accessibility for everyone.

January 6, 2025 - Mother Jones

Accessibility and Car-Free Zones

Some critics of car-free zones call them exclusionary to people with disabilities, but other experts argue that, when properly planned, pedestrian enhancements improve safety and accessibility for everyone.

January 6, 2025 - Mother Jones

Sprawl

Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty

Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.

January 6, 2025 - Science Blog

Woman walking two small children across crosswalk.

How Urban Design Can Benefit Parents and Kids

Designing thoughtful, child-friendly public spaces can ease the burdens of modern parenting and offer safe spaces for children to learn self-reliance and resilience.

January 2, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Large Walmart store with empty parking lot.

How Smaller Supermarkets Could Transform American Communities

Bigger is not always better.

January 2, 2025 - Marcelo Remond

Child looking up at Christmas lights in city at night.

December Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

Making room for more housing, fixing broken sidewalks, and our favorite books of the year.

January 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Oil well pumpjack sillhouetted against a bright pink sunset sky.

Upcoming Conference Spotlights California's Orphan Wells

The 2025 Orphan & Idle Wells California Conference will address the environmental, economic, and public health challenges of abandoned oil and gas wells, focusing on remediation strategies, regulatory frameworks, and community-centered solutions.

December 31, 2024 - Energy Conference Network

Aerial view of wildfire damage in Lahaina, Maui.

$2.1 Billion Secured for Maui Wildfire Recovery and Resilience

Congress has approved federal funding to support Maui’s wildfire recovery, including housing, economic development, and infrastructure improvements while fostering long-term community resilience and preparedness.

December 31, 2024 - Hawaii Public Radio

Conveyor belt in industrial recycling center with plastic materials.

Recycling’s Real Impact: Challenges, Misconceptions, and the Path Forward

Recycling offers modest environmental benefits but faces significant challenges in effectiveness and scalability, requiring systemic changes like reducing plastic production and exploring alternative waste reduction strategies.

December 31, 2024 - The Independent

Aerial view of construction site with yellow dump truck and heavy machinery.

National Brownfields Training Conference: Driving Sustainable Redevelopment

The conference will bring together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, strategies, and resources for the remediation and sustainable redevelopment of contaminated properties, fostering economic growth and environmental restoration.

December 31, 2024 - Brownfields 2025 Conference

Aerial view of Lahainaluna neighborhood with smoke from fires in Maui, Hawaii.

Maui's Deadly Firestorm: Investigating the Tragedy and Lessons for the Future

FRONTLINE's Maui’s Deadly Firestorm investigates the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, uncovering critical failures in preparedness and response while examining the tragedy’s causes, impact, and lessons for future disaster prevention.

December 30, 2024 - PBS

Anchorage, Alaska skyline with snowy mountains in background.

Anchorage Leaders Support Multigenerational Housing Model

The city is making it easier to build multigenerational housing that can accommodate families, children, and seniors who want to ‘age in place.’

December 27, 2024 - Alaska Public Media

View of small town Benton in Washington State from Horse Heaven Hills.

Washington Tribes Oppose Wind Project

Tribal communities claim that a major wind energy project threatens sensitive cultural and environmental resources.

December 26, 2024 - High Country News

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.