The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Hurricane Ike Damage

Calling for a New Approach to Flood Mitigation

The American Planning Association was one of 14 national organizations to sign a letter of support for S.1507, which would partner states and the federal government in providing low-interest loans for stormwater infrastructure projects.

March 28 - American Planning Association

Single-Family Neighborhood

Upzoning of Seattle's Single-Family Zoning Called a 'Disappointing Half-Measure'

A critical analysis of a proposal that would incrementally increase density in parts of Seattle.

March 28 - Sightline Institute

Houston

Houston Controller Finds Fault with Key Economic Development Program

A new report finds that Houston might not be holding private partners accountable for promised infrastructure improvements.

March 28 - Houston Chronicle

Detroit, Michigan

Ford Motor Company Considering Big Move to Historic Detroit

If Ford Motor Co. goes through with a plan to move into the old Michigan Central Depot, it would mark a new phase of the rebirth of Detroit's urban core.

March 28 - The Detroit News

Highway Living

Outcomes of the Federal Highway Program: Inequality and Polarization

It's a vicious cycle: highways enable white flight, establishing a power base for a political party opposed to urban transportation systems.

March 28 - Stanford News


Capitol

Omnibus Spending Bill Expands Low Income Housing Tax Credit

Missed among the coverage of the federal Omnibus Bill on Friday of last week: a long-awaited expansion of the Low Income Tax Credit.

March 27 - Globe St.

Main Street

National League of Cities to Study State Preemption of Local Laws

The mission of the National League of Cities is to advocate for cities—and the organization is now gathering evidence to push back on growing amount of state preemption of local control.

March 27 - CitiesSpeak


Planning Commission in World's Fair office, 1958

A Call to Broaden the Definition of 'Real Planning'

Deland Chan, a lecturer in the Urban Studies program at Stanford University and co-founder of the Stanford Human Cities Initiative, makes the case for a bigger tent for planners and planning.

March 27 - CityLab

Parking Lot SOlar

As Climate Shifts, Cincinnati Mayor Boosts Solar Investments

The Ohio city recently announced a plan to build the nation's largest municipally owned onsite solar array. The plan builds on a decade of increasingly ambitious climate action.

March 27 - Yale Climate Connections

TOKYO Night @45F

Energy Demand and Carbon Emissions Increased in 2017, Just Not Everywhere

The International Energy Agency found that China and India were responsible for 40 percent of the increased energy demand. The biggest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions came from the U.S., largely due to increased use of renewables.

March 27 - International Energy Agency

Los Angeles in 1939, as determined by the  Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC).

FEATURE

The Legacy of Housing Discrimination Still Haunts Minorities

The practice of redlining was outlawed in 1977, but its effects have been indelible.

March 27 - Jerrod A. Laber

The Mission

New Lyft Program Puts a 'Geofence' Around Busy Streets

The Lyft geofencing pilot in San Francisco will direct drivers to less busy side streets for pick ups and drop offs.

March 27 - Mission Local

Agricultural Land

Texas Designates 628 Opportunity Zones

The state of Texas gives an early indication of the potential scale of the new Opportunity Zones program—an emerging program that will be rolling out across the country in the coming days and weeks.

March 27 - Urban Edge

Automated Vehicles

BLOG POST

Autonomous Vehicle Reality

Planners must be realistic. Autonomous vehicles will probably provide smaller net benefits, including safety benefits, than optimists predict.

March 27 - Todd Litman

Lost Our Home

The American Eviction Epidemic

According to a new report, a U.S. "eviction epidemic" is connected to a growing number of homeless people.

March 27 - The Stranger

Tudor City

Value Capture Replaces Congestion Pricing as Governor Cuomo's Subway Funding Fix

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) appears to be backing away from a controversial plan to toll midtown Manhattan but shows no reservations about embracing land value capture, which some regard as a "taking" by taxing land proximate to subway stations.

March 26 - Politico New York

Ohio

How One Lake Erie Town Got Free Waterfront Property for Public Use

Clear communication and a fair trade let Euclid, Ohio begin to rethink its lakefront—and its future.

March 26 - NextCity

Houston Flood

Houston's Latest Stormwater Project: 'Massive, Underground Tunnels'

The most recent post-Harvey proposal would mean the city could endure enormous rain events, but so far it's not clear who would pay for it.

March 26 - Houston Chronicle

Minneapolis

Minneapolis Draft Comprehensive Plan Revealed

The city of Minneapolis is deploying many of the most contemporary planning tools as it works toward approval of the Minneapolis 2040 plan.

March 26 - MinnPost

Moshe Safdie

BLOG POST

All the Environmental Benefits of Modular Buildings

There is plenty of evidence for modular construction as a key component of a green economy.

March 26 - Kayla Matthews

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.