The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Front view of Art Deco 1933 Los Angeles County General Hospital building

Massive, Vacant L.A. Hospital To Become Affordable Housing

The historic building will be redeveloped with over 500 housing units and supportive services on site.

August 1 - Los Angeles Times

Climate Change

FEATURE

'Inflation Reduction Act' a Mixed Bag for Climate Action, Planning Innovation

A roundup of all the emerging news and commentary regarding the Inflation Reduction Act, which last week broke through a Congressional roadblock to resuscitate some, but not nearly all, of the Build Back Better legislation that failed in 2021.

August 1 - James Brasuell

Aerial view of Milwaukee, Wisconsin skyline with large old homes in the foreground

Report: Milwaukee Racial Homeownership Gap Increasing

The inequality in the city’s housing market is growing at a rate surpassing other peer cities.

August 1 - Wisconsin Policy Forum

Children's playground in a London park with a green lawn

Playgrounds as an Essential Amenity

A London organization is working to bring ‘adventure playgrounds’ to park-poor neighborhoods, arguing that outdoor play is a key factor in child development.

August 1 - Next City

Rendering of tiered park with trees and benches at Battery Place

In Battery Park City, Public Infrastructure Meets Climate Resilience

A massive project underway in Lower Manhattan seeks to protect the shoreline from future flooding and mitigate the effects of climate change and rising sea levels.

August 1 - Bloomberg CityLab


D.C. Land Use Map

PLANOPEDIA

What Is GIS?

GIS software, which combines location information with data about a range of other attributes, has become an indispensable tool for mapping and spatial analysis in urban planning and dozens of other fields.

July 31 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of I-10 junction over swamp near New Orleans, Louisiana

Louisiana Road Safety Plan Highlights Impaired Driving, Reckless Behavior

The plan focuses traffic safety efforts on distracted and impaired driving, seatbelt wearing, and speeding, with a small nod to infrastructural factors.

July 31 - Plaquemine Post South


Yellow electric Blue Bird school bus

Electric School Buses Put Power Back Into Grid

A “vehicle to grid” pilot program in a Southern California school district has school buses doing double-duty as electricity storage.

July 31 - Governing

Trailer Parks

Destigmatizing Manufactured Housing

It’s time to rethink the negative stereotypes and acknowledge the key role mobile home parks can play in solving the affordable housing crisis.

July 31 - The Conversation

Brooklyn, New York City

PLANOPEDIA

What Is Redevelopment?

Redevelopment includes all development projects that build new structures and land uses on a previously developed site. Understanding the nuances of redevelopment is critical for understanding the ways cities and communities change.

July 29 - James Brasuell

Portland

Portland Releases 43-Step Climate Action Plan

A draft plan outlines suggested actions to build resilience, minimize carbon emissions, and protect vulnerable residents from extreme weather events.

July 29 - Smart Cities Dive

Wooden duplex home with two driveways in Arlington, Virginia

Missing Middle Housing as an Antidote to Redlining

New research suggests that missing middle housing could help make more affordable housing available to Arlington residents, particularly Black households historically blocked from homeownership in many neighborhoods.

July 29 - ARLnow

Aerial view of suburban single-family homes

Reimagining the Suburbs

With more people moving away from central cities, we have the chance to avoid past mistakes and redesign the American suburb to be less car-centric and more diverse.

July 29 - Vox

Metropolitan Detention Center, Los Angeles

Mike Davis on Life, Politics, and Mortality

The celebrated City of Quartz author speaks with the Los Angeles Times about activism, climate change, and his decision to stop cancer treatment.

July 28 - Los Angeles Times

Group of children dressed warmly and wearing COVID-19 masks

Families With Young Children Left Cities At Higher Rates During Pandemic

New Census data reveal that families with children under five led the migration out of major U.S. cities between 2019 and 2021.

July 28 - Economic Innovation Group

Civic Center bus terminal in Denver

Major Redesign Planned for Denver-Area Bus System

The Regional Transportation District will make significant changes to bus frequency and routes in an effort to make transit accessible to more Colorado residents.

July 28 - Colorado Public Radio

Color-coded map showing wildfire risk in Oregon

Oregon Issues Wildfire Risk Map

After homeowners received letters assessing their property’s fire risk, questions remain about the next steps in building fire resilience.

July 28 - KTVL

Pedestrian Safety

4 Proven Steps for Improved Pedestrian Safety

Experts from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) present four steps for reducing the number of pedestrians killed by drivers.

July 28 - Smart Growth America

Henan

Clean Air Programs Increase Property Values, Study Says

What’s good for the planet is good for the economy, according to a recent study published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

July 28 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Zoning Code Rendering

Minneapolis 2040 Implementation Allowed to Proceed … For Now

The same judge that blocked implementation of the landmark Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan in June 2022 has allowed a temporary reprieve for planning work in the city to proceed.

July 28 - Star Tribune

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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.

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.