The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Downtown Los Angeles

L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes

The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.

December 7 - Urbanize Los Angeles

Construction on a high-rise, with cement trucks and tall cranes, is visible on an Austin Street.

Austin's Tallest Tower Rising Quickly

Sixth and Guadalupe, which will top out at 875 feet, will soon be crowned the tallest building in Austin, and the fifth-tallest building in Texas.

December 7 - Urbanize Austin

Tidal flooding at Brickell Bay Drive and 12 Street, Downtown Miami

BLOG POST

Voluntary Collaboration for Adaptive Governance: The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact

This is an updated version of a blog post published at the Conversation by Karen Vella and William Butler. Both are associate professors at Queensland University of Technology and Florida State University, respectively.

December 7 - JPER

London Bikes

How Boosting Biking Could Improve London's Economy

A new study outlines the potential economic, environmental, and public health benefits of increasing cycling mode share in London, which has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.

December 7 - Forbes

A plaque displaying the name of Re. Peter A. DeFazio, senate representative for the state of Oregon.

Peter De Fazio, Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to Retire

The end of an era for Oregon in Congress.

December 6 - The Oregonian


A view of the Pacific Ocean and California coastline from high in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Santa Monica Mountains Acquires More Land For Conservation

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired the final 150 acres of the 325-acre Triangle Ranch open space in the Santa Monica Mountains.

December 6 - The Acorn

Virgin Trains USA

Bike Share Coming to West Palm Beach

A new bike share system will bring 170 bikes to West Palm Beach as part of Brightline's new suite of door-to-door mobility options.

December 6 - Mass Transit


Denver Light Rail

Where Mayors Want to Spend Federal Aid

An annual survey reveals that mayors want to prioritize spending federal funding on homelessness, transportation, and social services.

December 6 - Route Fifty

Colorado Springs, Colorado skyline

Fire-Prone Communities Fight New Development

New development in small Colorado towns threatens to overwhelm fire evacuation resources, raising alarm among local residents.

December 6 - Colorado Sun

A sign on a door says proof of vaccine is required to enter.

Compulsory Vaccination in the Birthplace of Democracy

Unlike the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination strategy that has largely been paused by federal judges, compulsory vaccinations have been approved by Greece's highest court. Mandates are passed by Parliament rather than by executive order.

December 6 - Deutsche Welle

Self-Driving Cars

BLOG POST

Book Review: Autonorama

In Autononorama, Peter Norton argues that autonomous vehicles may be neither feasible nor desirable.

December 6 - Michael Lewyn

Airplane aisle with seated passengers

Flight-Free Movement Grows in Europe

A burgeoning movement known as 'flight shame' calls on travelers to avoid air travel when possible as a method of fighting climate change.

December 6 - The Conversation

Not in my back yard

BLOG POST

The YIMBY-NIMBY Debate Gets 'Uninteresting'

Labels like "YIMBY" and "NIMBY" may be crude—but so what? One of them wants to solve America's housing crises. The other does not. Un-housed and under-housed people cannot wait for a perfect ideology to come along, writes Josh Stephens.

December 5 - Josh Stephens

Bentonville, AR Central Avenue at night

Opinion: Northwest Arkansas Could Be the 'Next Austin'

The home of Walmart and the University of Arkansas could be poised to see growth as cities like Austin and Boise become less affordable.

December 5 - Bloomberg Opinion

Downtown Houston overlooking Interstate 45.

Contentious Houston Freeway Widening Project Inches Forward

Federal officials have given TxDOT the go-ahead to resume work on a small portion of a controversial interstate widening project in downtown Houston.

December 5 - The Houston Chronicle

An image of President Joe Biden at a meeting in the White House while wearing a mask in February 2021.

Biden's 'Path Out of the Pandemic' Imperiled by Multiple Court Decisions

The vaccine mandate that applies to federal contractors included in President Biden's COVID plan announced in September to slow the Delta surge was halted by a federal judge in Kentucky. That's the third requirement to be paused, leaving only one.

December 5 - Lexington Herald-Leader

Transit Oriented Development

PLANOPEDIA

What Is Smart Growth?

Smart growth describes an approach to planning and development that prioritizes compact built environments, designed for benefits to the economy and the environment.

December 3 - James Brasuell

Main Street

Inequality Grows in Western Zoom Towns

As demand for housing grows, small Western towns are experiencing skyrocketing housing costs and rising displacement.

December 3 - High Country News

A Metro Los Angeles bus driver is behind the wheel while wearing a mask.

Equity and Transit Go Hand in Hand for the Pandemic Recovery

Equity illuminates the light at the end of the tunnel for U.S. transit agencies, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.

December 3 - Urban Institute

South Beach Open Streets

Miami Reinstates E-Scooter Program

After abruptly ending its shared e-scooter program last month, Miami is letting the devices return to its streets–with some new rules.

December 3 - Smart Cities Dive

Post News

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.