The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

San Francisco Skyline

San Francisco Rezoning Makes Room for 34,000 Housing Units

To meet state-mandated housing goals, San Francisco plans to accommodate thousands of new housing units focused in the city’s west side, which has seen little growth for decades.

October 11 - San Francisco Chronicle

Fare gates at underground BART station in San Francisco, California

Transit and the ‘Big One’

Bay Area transit agencies employ rigorous protocols to ensure they’re prepared for the next major earthquake.

October 11 - San Francisco Chronicle

Offshore wind turbines at Barrow Offshore Wind off Walney Island in the Irish Sea

Offshore Wind Energy Faces Challenges on West Coast

Unique geography and high costs have stymied offshore wind energy production in California, but new incentives and innovations could soon make it more accessible.

October 11 - OC Register

Garden with bee houses labeled 'bee hotel' and scarecrow

How Pollinators Fight Warming Cities

Researchers are starting to understand how urban bee populations can support healthy green spaces and reduce the urban heat island effect.

October 11 - Wired

Pedestrian stoplight with green 'walk' silhouette lit up and blurry city buildings in background

Opinion: California Jaywalking Law a Step in Right Direction

A new law doesn’t fully decriminalize jaywalking, but bars law enforcement from issuing citations to pedestrians when crossings aren’t ‘truly dangerous.’

October 11 - Los Angeles Times


Pennsylvania

Adaptive Reuse Booming in Pittsburgh

The city is seeing rapid growth in residential development in its downtown core, signaling a shift to accommodate a reduced need for office space and a renewed interest in mixed-use, transit-oriented neighborhoods.

October 11 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Red painted dedicated bus lane in Indianapolis, Indiana

IndyGo Opens First ‘Super Stop’

The city plans to build eight enhanced bus stops that streamline boarding and offer seating, shelter, and ticketing machines.

October 11 - Indianapolis Recorder


Park Slope, Brooklyn

New York City’s Housing Shortage Continues

Decades-old policies have led to a deepening shortage of housing units, particularly for low- and middle-income households.

October 11 - New York 1

Worker in yellow vest and white hard hat looking down at water basin at wastewater treatment plant

Boise To Test Wastewater Recycling Tech

The city will launch a pilot program to assess five methods of treating wastewater to identify the most effective solution for a scaled-up program.

October 10 - Idaho Press

goMARTI autinomous shuttle van

Minnesota Uses Autonomous Shuttles To Improve Mobility

A pilot program will provide free rides to help rural and elderly residents reach more destinations.

October 10 - LPTV

Man on a scaffold repairs a stucco wall.

Pennsylvania Law Ties Building Repair Loans to Affordability

A new state program provides forgivable loans for residential repairs and retrofits to landlords who don’t raise rents by more than 3 percent.

October 10 - Next City

Close-up  of wooden beehive with bees flying in and out

A Sweet Deal: Zoning for Honeybees

A Boston ordinance could make it easier for residents to take up urban beekeeping.

October 10 - The Boston Globe

Aerial view of coastline with homes in Encinitas, California

San Diego County Cities Lean on ADUs as Affordable Housing Solution

Some jurisdictions are making ADUs easier and cheaper to build, but rents on even small units remain high as the region struggles to meet its housing production goals.

October 9 - The Coast news

"NO Public Restroom" sign on restaurant window

Opinion: Opening Restrooms to Public Is Good for Business

For many people with chronic illnesses, access to public restrooms can be a critical medical issue. Incentivizing businesses to open their restrooms can fill a critical gap in U.S. cities.

October 9 - Bloomberg CityLab

Aerial view of downtown Baltimore, Maryland with freeways in foreground

Baltimore Seeks Federal Highway Removal Grant

Advocates of highway removal hope the Reconnecting Communities Act will help fund efforts to tear down a freeway that devastated West Baltimore neighborhoods.

October 9 - Next City

House under construction

Housing Construction Slowest at Both Ends of Wealth Spectrum

Communities with the slowest rates of new housing construction are either heavily undervalued, leading developers to avoid them, or extremely wealthy, giving residents leverage to employ zoning and land use to block development.

October 9 - Urban Institute

Still image of EPCOT city concept from Disney's 1966 promotional film

BLOG POST

EPCOT: The Original 'Smart City'

What can today’s futurists learn from Disney’s unrealized utopia?

October 7 - Diana Ionescu

Shotgun Homes, New Orleans

New Orleans Housing Report Card: “F” for Affordable Housing

A New Orleans nonprofit has failed the city’s affordable housing efforts for the third year running, citing local agencies’ inability to convert the city’s many underused properties into safe and affordable housing.

October 7 - Fox 8

Aerial view of South Bend, Indiana

South Bend Offers Small Developers Pre-Approved Housing Templates

The city hopes the templates, along with other incentive programs, will spur more housing construction on its vacant lots while maintaining neighborhood character and streamlining the development process.

October 7 - Strong Towns

Urban Living

D.C. Regional Framework Emphasizes Equity, Connectivity

The Region United Framework for 2030 outlines a plan for sustainable, equitable development, calling for a 'holistic' approach to regional planning.

October 7 - Greater Greater Washington

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