The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Turning Foreclosures into Rentals
As the Federal Housing Administration looks for new ways of dealing with the nation's foreclosed homes, more voices are calling for those homes to be repurposed as rentals.
A Tour of Three Detroit Community Gardens
Community gardens are popping up all over Detroit. This post from <em>Model D</em> takes a tour through three of them, and explores how they balance art and nature.
Density Brings in More Tax Income Than Big Box
Dense downtowns provide more tax revenues for cities than strip mall and big box development on a per acre basis, according to a new study.
The Emotional Landscape of Vacancy
Vacancy has left parts of the Midwest shattered, resulting in an insecurity which invokes a diluted "fight or flight" response. Restoring the psychological landscape of cities is a difficult, but essential, first step, says Richey Piiparinen.
Britain's Riots: Architects Respond
Five architects dissect the role the built environment plays in the riots. Joseph Rykwert says cities incite riots, while Robert Tavernor says that the riots are "a sobering reminder that cities are for people, that people make cities."
Map Shows Correlation Between Poverty and Riots in London
This interactive map from <em>The Guardian</em> overlays recent incidences of rioting in greater London with levels of poverty.
Huge Dam Moves Forward on the Nile
Ethiopia is planning to construct a large hydroelectric dam on the Nile River to supply power for itself and neighboring countries.
Making Money in Public Transit
Public transit is expensive, and most transit agencies don't make money. But Hong Kong's MTR is different.
FAA Impasse Is Omen For Rural America
Four thousand FAA workers furloughed and 70,000 contractors were laid off as a result of a congressional disagreement on subsidies to rural airports and a labor provision.
Community Building Through Soccer in Detroit
A neighborhood-based soccer league in Detroit is becoming a new community building effort in the city.
Making Places in Houston
Houston is leading the way in creating new public spaces. This article from The Project for Public Spaces looks at a few of the city's efforts.
Reinterpreting the City Clutter of Utility Boxes
Utility boxes are cluttering city streets all over the world. But they're not going away, and cities should start to try to find new ways to blend them into the urban fabric, according to this article from the <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>.
Bringing New Life to Urban Rail Lines
Cities across the country are breathing new life into abandoned and disused inner city rail lines.
London's 19th Century Train Station Injects a 21st Century Design
London's King's Cross train station's western concourse showcases a 140-meter wide canopy, the largest single-span station structure in Europe. New technology like solar cells and old infrastructure blend together to enhance the station.
Why Public Art?
Public art plays a role in cities across the world. But what role exactly, and for what purpose? <em>Glass House Conversations</em> explores these questions in this series.
Nation's Poor Reside in Suburbs
Suburban growth has coincided with the increase in immigrant population. Yet, while immigrants account for 30 percent suburban population growth, they account for only a fifth of the increase in the poor population, a recent Brookings study showed.
"My City is Burning"
As rioting spreads across England, journalist Laurie Penny argues that structural inequalities have been ignored for so long that Britain's disenfranchised youth feel they have no stake in society.
U.S. Credit Downgrade, Recession Fears May Impact States, Cities
States' borrowing ability may be limited and federal deficit reductions are expected to leave municipal market in limbo, report Kathy Bergen, Kristen Mack and Monique Garcia for Chicago Tribune.
Pedestrians' Dangerous Walk in Mumbai
The doubling of car traffic in the past 20 years in Mumbai has created a transit culture that has become dangerous for pedestrians. More than 44 percent of Mumbai citizens walk to work, and 78 percent road fatalities are pedestrians, a study finds.
Reinventing the Homeless Shelter
The Bridge Homeless Assistance Center in Dallas has saved the city an estimated $3 million in jail time and homeless management. Architecture gets some of the credit.
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.
