The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Amtrak Seeks $200 Million for Chicago Improvements
The agency wants to upgrade infrastructure and fix ‘long-standing deficiencies’ in its Chicago-area operations.

Study: Tenant Distance From Court Affects Eviction Risk
Renters with longer commutes to eviction courts, often located downtown, face higher eviction rates.

A Second Life for the American Mall
‘Dead’ suburban malls, with their existing infrastructure, offer a variety of opportunities for redevelopment into everything from housing to parks.

Preserving Chicago’s Affordable Housing
One Chicago organization is working to promote the rehabilitation and maintenance of naturally occurring affordable housing, a valuable—and vulnerable—source of affordable housing units.

Madison Redesigning its Transit System, BRT Included
Transit service in the Wisconsin State Capital has been redesigned on a high-frequency grid.

LaGuardia Airport Redesign Fails To Address Key Concerns
After an $8 billion renovation, critics of the much-maligned airport claim the design is disjointed, while public transit access to the new terminals remains minimal.

Portland Approves ‘Residential Infill Project – Part 2' to Add New Forms of Residential Density
The city of Portland is already building upon the historic work of the Residential Infill Project, approved by the city in August 2021, with a new slate of zoning changes dubbed the ‘Residential Infill Project – Part 2.”

How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention
Grazing goats can quickly and effectively clear steep or hard-to-reach hillsides of invasive, fire-fueling vegetation.

Are Urban Planners Staying Silent on Climate Gentrification?
Holmdel, New Jersey, moved its affordable housing to flood-prone land, raising a question about planners' ethical obligations to speak up against such moves.

Manhattan’s Population Is on the Rebound
After the ‘urban exodus’ brought on by the pandemic, most of New York City’s boroughs are regaining their population.

Desalination and Water Recycling Needed to Increase Bay Area Water Supply
In an ongoing drought exacerbated by climate change, the Bay Area needs to look toward two technologies to secure adequate drinking water supply: desalination and wastewater recycling, according to an analysis by the San Francisco Examiner.

Seattle Remains Far From Its Vision Zero Goals
One Seattle councilmember is calling for more urgency in addressing the city’s rising traffic deaths.

Vacant Homes Wither Under Flawed Tax System
Inefficiencies in Baltimore's tax sale system and predatory investment practices are keeping homes vacant for years. But advocates could soon finally see meaningful change.

Proposed Chicago Ordinance Would Promote Affordable Housing Near Transit
The Equitable Transit-Oriented Development ordinance could advance equity and reduce car dependency, but the legislation faces resistance from some city council members.

New Loan Fund Will Help Mobile Home Residents Purchase Land
A Colorado law makes it easier for residents to buy the mobile home parks they live in to protect against sharp rent increases.

Indianapolis Revises Complete Streets Ordinance
After the death of a well-known Indianapolis cyclist and growing pedestrian death rates, the city expanded on its 2012 Complete Streets ordinance to highlight equity and renew efforts to make streets safer.

New York Law Eases Hotel Conversions
A state law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul loosens zoning restrictions to encourage the conversion of underutilized hotels into housing.

FEATURE
Twitter for Planners in 2022
Twitter is changing, not in the way Elon Musk wants it to, but it’s still perhaps the most useful social media platform for planners looking for education and engagement.

Seattle Prepares for Major Transit Disruptions
Sound Transit claims maintenance work is necessary to prepare for upcoming transit extensions, but critics question the need to make drastic service cuts.

Analysis: California’s Bumpy Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Implementation
California took the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule and ran with it. Fully realizing the goals of the AFFH in California will require more work, according to a recent analysis.
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