The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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

Another Biden COVID Vaccine Mandate on Hold

Last month, a court stayed Biden's large private employer mandate that requires workers to be vaccinated or test-and-mask. On Tuesday, a federal district court judge stayed the vaccine mandate that applies nationwide to most health care workers.

December 1 - The New York Times

Pacific Ocean

Cities Finding Ways to Resist State-Mandated Upzoning

The resistance to state-mandated zoning reforms, already well underway in Oregon, is now starting to whiplash through California as well.

December 1 - Los Angeles Times

Dearborn Street Bike Lane

Cycling Rates Remain High Across the Country

The bike boom that began during the pandemic shows no signs of abating, according to a new report.

December 1 - Smart Cities Dive

Highway Construction

How RAISE Grants Promote Car-Free Mobility

While there are many reasons to break away from automobile dominance, the RAISE grant program is the only federal effort fully reflecting a public transit and active transportation priorities.

December 1 - Bloomberg CityLab

Austin Traffic

Austin Becoming Least Affordable City Outside California

The Texas capital, once one of the most affordable metro areas, is experiencing a housing affordability crisis as median prices soar and longtime residents face displacement.

December 1 - The New York Times


View of Wrigleyville neighborhood before a Chicago Cubs game

New Development Continues in Wrigleyville

New mixed-use projects bring residential units, retail, and entertainment venues to the neighborhood surrounding Chicago's Wrigley Field as stadium-adjacent development grows in popularity.

December 1 - The Architect's Newspaper

Coronavirus and Transportation

Lessons for Transit Ridership From Past Pandemics

While COVID-19 is a unique moment in American history, experiences from past pandemics shed light on how the pandemic might shape public transit ridership.

December 1 - Governing


Moving

Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative

Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.

November 30 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Urban Living

Leadership Change at the D.C. Office of Planning

D.C. Planning Director Andre Trueblood is leaving the helm of the District's Office of Planning.

November 30 - Washington Business Journal

An image showing a smart phone with information from the World Health Organization about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Omicron Variant: No Good Science Goes Unpunished

The discovery by South African scientists will enable the world to prepare for the newest coronavirus variant, but it will also cause enormous hardship due to the travel restrictions on flights to/from eight nations in southern Africa.

November 30 - The New York Times

Nigeria

Urban Development in African Cities

Rising populations and political challenges complicate the future development of Africa's major metropolitan centers.

November 30 - The Washington Post

San Francisco Street

Reimagining San Francisco for the Post-COVID Era

A San Francisco nonprofit is developing a set of recommendations for making downtown neighborhoods more flexible and welcoming to a more diverse set of users.

November 30 - Smart Cities Dive

HUD

Opinion: The Housing Crisis Isn't Going Away With the Pandemic

As the housing crisis rages on, the housing assistance infrastructure put in place during the pandemic can provide a model for long-term aid programs.

November 30 - Governing

San Francisco Muni

Climate Change Law: A Primer for Cities

A report from the Sabin Center provides a legal framework for municipal-level action on climate change policy.

November 30 - Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Children Playing

How Urban Design Affects Children's Cognitive Development

A European study suggests that good urban design can affect cognitive and motor function development in young children.

November 30 - Barcelona Institute for Global Health

Eviction Crisis

Dissecting the Eviction Crisis

Attention to the human and economic costs of evictions predate the pandemic, but the economic disruption of the past two years has increased the need for better tools to measure and respond to evictions.

November 29 - National League Of Cities

San Francisco, California

Once San Francisco's 'Grandest Boulevard,' Van Ness Almost Done With Another Makeover

The Van Ness Improvement project took almost two decades to cross the finish line, but it's almost there.

November 29 - San Francisco Chronicle

Toronto Construction

Toronto Reconsidering its Parking Requirements

Parking reform is reaching new frontiers.

November 29 - CBC News

Arlington, Massachusetts

A Primer on Arlington County's Missing Middle Housing Study

The county is evaluating its options for spurring construction of 'missing middle' housing that would provide more housing types in the D.C. suburb.

November 29 - DCist

Suburban Tract Homes

Fast-Rising Rents: Cause or Effect of Institutional Real Estate Investors?

More media attention for the growing influence of large, institutional investors on the housing market.

November 29 - The Seattle Times

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.