The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

U.S. Housing Prices Continue Record-Breaking Pace
July marked four straight months of record-breaking increases for housing prices nationwide, according to the latest housing market data.

Is Historic Preservation Zoning?
In a victory for preservationists, the Texas Supreme Court upheld Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance despite a lawsuit alleging that the ordinance constitutes illegal zoning rules.

Obama Presidential Center Breaks Ground on Chicago's South Side
Years of controversy and delay were in the rearview this week when the Obamas joined the governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago to break ground on the Obama Presidential Center .

Berlin Voters Want to Expropriate 240,000 Apartments
A potentially watershed vote in the German capital.

NYC Mayoral Candidate Proposes Ambitious Housing Plan to Convert Dormant Hotels
Eric Adams, Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, announced a proposal to convert existing hotel rooms to supportive and affordable housing. The plan faces obstacles in statewide building codes and local zoning regulations.

A State-by-State Wish List for Federal Infrastructure Funding
States have a laundry list of major projects they'd like to see funded if the trillion-dollar infrastructure package passes.

Illinois Commits to Bold Climate Action
The state of Illinois passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act , which will phase fossil fuels out for energy production and position the state as a leader on equitable economic development in the clean energy sector.

Proposed Law Would Open Beach Access in Massachusetts
It's harder to access the ocean in Massachusetts than any other coastal state in the country, but that could soon change.

MAX Red Line Extension Wins Federal Funding in Portland
The "A Better Red" project won the federal funding it needed from the federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants program.

Seattle Freeway Lid Expected by 2030
When complete, the SR 520 Montlake Project will reorganize the street grid to provide new connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Most Unsafe Road in Ohio: A Five-Mile Stretch of Interstate in Columbus
Traffic safety analysis inspires debate about the culprit (drivers or engineers?) on the least safe stretch of road in the Buckeye State.

City of London Could Set Speed Limits at 15 MPH
The City of London (not to be confused with the larger area of Greater London) will consider a plan to reduce speed limits throughout the "Square Mile" that outlines its boundaries.

D.C. Considers Centering Equity in Transportation and Land Use Planning Decisions
A plan to prioritize equity would, according to regional planners, increase access to jobs and resources, reduce emissions, and improve public health.

How the Iconic Dingbat Took Over Los Angeles
The low-slung, car-oriented apartment buildings represent a mid-century solution to a housing shortage and offer valuable lessons for new development.

NPR: HUD Sells Flood-Prone Homes Without Disclosing Risks
The troubling trend is particularly pronounced in lower-income communities, where experts worry households are being inadvertently set up for big financial losses.

Student-Designed Cool Sidewalk Could Reduce 'Urban Heat Island' Effect
Researchers at the University of New Mexico created a sidewalk design using materials that would reduce heat absorption and require fewer materials than traditional concrete sidewalks.

Northgate Link Extension—Opening This Weekend—Expected to Transform Seattle in More Ways Than One
The long awaited Northgate Link Extension, which will connect rapidly changing neighborhoods in North Seattle to downtown in 14 minutes, will open to the public on Saturday, October 2.

New Research Reexamines HOLC's Role in Redlining
New Deal agencies did engage in discriminatory lending practices–but not quite in the way we think.

The 2010s: The Decade of the Suburban Rental
Census data reveal a growing number of suburbs are home to a majority of renters. The data challenges the "very definition of suburban living," according to this article.

'Quality of Life' Award for Utah Freeway Widening Prompts Criticism, Debate
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently announced that the Utah Department of Transportation had won the "Quality of Life/Community Development" award. A social media pile on commenced.
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