The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
FEATURE
Save Lives on Our Roads Using the Safe System Approach
Prioritizing safety and committing to the SSA framework can make a big impact in the effort to reduce traffic fatalities.
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.
Waymo Robotaxis Often Fail to Stop for Pedestrians
One journalist recorded more than a dozen instances of Waymo autonomous cars speeding by when he tried to cross the street.
$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.
One Year Into Brazil’s ‘Hostile Architecture’ Ban
A recent law prohibits ‘defensive’ architecture designed to keep people away from buildings or public spaces.
Reclaiming Oil Wells for Renewable Energy in Rural Colorado
A company is seeking to repurpose abandoned oil wells in Pierce, Colorado, to create a cost-effective geothermal energy system that could heat and cool local buildings, reduce emissions, and serve as a model for sustainable energy nationwide.
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.
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.
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.
Storms and Sea Levels: The Growing Threat to California’s Piers
California’s aging piers face growing threats from climate change, with intensifying storms, rising repair costs, and structural vulnerabilities forcing tough decisions about their future preservation.
New Orleans Seeks Consultants for $8M Tree Planting Initiative
The city seeks consultancy firms to help implement an $8 million USDA Urban and Community Forestry Grant, advancing its goal of planting 40,000 trees by 2030 and strengthening urban sustainability and resilience.
Six Positive Innovations in Housing From 2024
The year saw some encouraging developments in housing and zoning policies that could alleviate the housing crisis and offer renters and homebuyers more diverse options.
Chicago Transit Authority Announces Service Boosts Ahead of NYE
The agency says it will reach pre-pandemic service levels by the end of the year.
Popular Tampa Bus Route Going Fare-Free
The initiative, which starts on January 5, is funded by parking fees.
Homelessness Spiked by 18.1 Percent in 2024
Experts blame the alarming rise in the number of unhoused people on high housing costs and the end of pandemic-era protections.
Commentary: Residential Vacancies Don’t Outweigh Need for New Housing
The myth that there are plenty of vacant housing units in U.S. cities comes from misconceptions about leasing timelines and developer incentives.
New York Law Addresses Extreme Heat in Schools
The law calls for heat mitigation measures when temperatures exceed 88 degrees.
Chicago Secures Funding for Southside L Extension
The city was awarded almost $2 billion to build four new stations in Southside neighborhoods long underserved by transit.
Camping Bans Proliferate After Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling in the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson has led over 100 cities to pass or step up enforcement of camping bans that criminalize unhoused residents.
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.’
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.
