The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Don't Tell Me What Happens in The Death and Life of Great American Cities
I am trying to get caught up on The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. I'm a chapter behind, so don't tell me what happens.
Ballot Initiative Would Split California into Fractals
It’s a surreal response to a surreal proposal: How many different ways can California be divided?
Ray LaHood to Guest Star on Final Season of Mad Men
The former Secretary of Transportation will join the popular AMC show Mad Men to play a moderate Republican who works across the aisle to deliver badly needed improvements to the nation’s transportation infrastructure.
Study: Hollywood Endings Most Likely in Los Angeles
A new study sheds light on why it seems that the sun shines 366.25 days a year in Los Angeles but falls short of solving one of life's great mysteries.
Study Examines the Evolution of the New York Minute
A new study examines the widely reported effect of the “New York Minute,” claiming that the new multi-modal nature of New York City’s streets has harkened the obsolescence of previously stated definitions of the non-standard measure of time.
NIMBY Added to the Oxford English Dictionary
The definitive dictionary of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary, will add the term NIMBY to its latest edition, citing the widespread use and worldwide political relevance of the term as reasons for its inclusion.
Examining the United States’ Urban/Rural Dichotomy
Governing presents a special series examining the “Rural/Urban Divide” in the United States.
New Study Tests Assumptions About Housing Vouchers and Crime
A new paper published in the Urban Studies journal finds a weak, negative relationship between vouchers and violent crime rates. There is no observable relationship between vouchers and violent crime rates in suburban areas.
Proposed Transit Fare Increase Provokes Strong Opposition in Los Angeles
More than 500 “activists, students and low-wage workers” spent their Saturday at a public hearing at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority imploring the agency’s board not to raise fees.
Come Together Locally for Smarter Growth
Connecting competence to organized support is key to reversing the Sisyphean cycle of urban placemaking.
How Easy is Walking to the Grocery Store in Your City?
Angie Schmitt shares news of an effort by WalkScore to rank cities based on the ability of residents to access grocery stores on foot. WalkScore invites planners all over country to use their data to improve walkable access to food in cities.
Report: California High-Speed Rail Won't Meet Travel Time Requirement
In 2008, California voters approved the country's only true HSR project with a travel time of 2 hours, 40 minutes from L.A. to San Francisco. Anything more than that might cause legislators to balk at proposed cap-and-trade funding for the train.
Top Architecture Websites
The Life of An Architect website recently published its second list of “The Best Architectural Websites in the World.”
Extreme Weather Could Replace Climate Change as Focus of Federal Agency
A bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) whose state has suffered the ravages of recurrent tornadoes would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to research predicting extreme weather events in lieu of climate change.
Metro Areas Dominate National Population Growth
New Census data describes the country’s movement toward large metropolitan areas. Following the recent population growth in cities like Houston and New York, nearly one in three Americans reside in the country’s ten most populated cities.
How Cities Prohibit Annoyances
The 5,000 local ordinances that prohibit “annoyances” often focus on the fraught intersections of the public and private. And it’s probably no surprise that public employees often seek legal protections from annoying (or annoyed) citizens.
Airbnb’s 'Shared City' Program Will Collect, Remit Taxes
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently announced the beginning of the “Shared City” initiative, which will “cut red tape” and “collect and remit taxes.” Airbnb will test the program in Portland before tailoring and exporting the program to other cities.
Advocating for Extension of Transportation Sales Tax in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin talks mobility on the Westside and the region. With another transportation sales tax extension in the works, Bonin sees a sunny future for LA, but no easy fix to end congestion.
Development Still Granted Water During California Drought
Urban water systems generally aren't responding to the California drought by suspending new water connections, as they did in past drought years like 1991. What are the implications?
Air Pollution Kills 7 Million Annually
In September, 2011 the above title read two million. Figures from both years are based on reports from the World Health Organization, a United Nations agency. Is air quality getting worse, or are more deaths being attributed to air pollution?
Ada County Highway District
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.
