The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An Amtrak passenger train is shown on a spring day, rolling through a rural area in Missouri.

Amtrak Seeks $200 Million for Chicago Improvements

The agency wants to upgrade infrastructure and fix ‘long-standing deficiencies’ in its Chicago-area operations.

June 13 - Trains.Com

Eviction notice posted on gate

Study: Tenant Distance From Court Affects Eviction Risk

Renters with longer commutes to eviction courts, often located downtown, face higher eviction rates.

June 13 - Marketplace

Vacant Sears in suburban mall

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.

June 12 - The New York Times

Chicago Three-Flats

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.

June 12 - Next City

Wisconsin Public Transit

Madison Redesigning its Transit System, BRT Included

Transit service in the Wisconsin State Capital has been redesigned on a high-frequency grid.

June 12 - Wisconsin State Journal


The interior of the new Terminal B arrivals and departures hall at LaGuardia Airport

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.

June 12 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of Portland, Oregon from Pittock Mansion

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.”

June 10 - The Oregonian


Goats grazing in a California field

How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention

Grazing goats can quickly and effectively clear steep or hard-to-reach hillsides of invasive, fire-fueling vegetation.

June 10 - National Geographic

Aerial view of flooding in Mout Holly, New Jersey

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.

June 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Manhattan Skyline

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.

June 10 - Bloomberg CityLab

Concrete dam of almost dried, low water level Stevens Creek reservoir in San Francisco Bay Area, California.

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.

June 9 - San Francisco Examiner

Broadway Bike Lane

Seattle Remains Far From Its Vision Zero Goals

One Seattle councilmember is calling for more urgency in addressing the city’s rising traffic deaths.

June 9 - South Seattle Emerald

Boarded up, vacant house

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.

June 9 - Shelterforce Magazine

Chicago Transit

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.

June 9 - Streetsblog Chicago

Manufactured home trailers in Aurora, Colorado

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.

June 9 - The Daily Yonder

Two bicyclists on a street in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana

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.

June 9 - Indianapolis Star

Vacant, shuttered motel

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.

June 9 - Press Office, Governor of New York State

A mobile phone with a crying emoji face and the word "doomscrolling" is on a table between a tissue and a glass of wine.

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.

June 9 - James Brasuell

Sound Transit

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.

June 8 - The Urbanist

A group of tents line a street in front of Los Angeles City Hall.

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.

June 8 - Policies for Action

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