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"Vote Here Today" yard sign in front of brick building.

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November Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

The future of planning in the second Trump administration, housing policy, and highway removal — here are Planetizen’s most popular headlines from November 2024.

December 3 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up of laptop with real estate listings shown on map.

Cities and States Taking Action to Limit Rent-Setting AI

Federal prosecutors are charging a software company with using algorithms to artificially inflate rents.

December 2 - CALmatters

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit train at elevated station with hills and palm tree in background.

BART to Raise Fares in January

The transit agency says it needs more state and federal support to meet its operating costs and avoid a growing budget gap.

December 2 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Long row of Bixi bike share bikes parked at station on street in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Bike Share Breaks Ridership Record With 13 Million Rides

The Bixi system introduced a winter pilot project last year, leading to a rise in winter cycling.

December 2 - The Montreal Gazette

Abandoned oil well against hill covered in blooming orange flowers in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California.

Plugging the Gap: Taxpayers Shoulder the Burden of Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

Taxpayers, federal agencies, and tribal governments are working to address Arizona's orphaned oil and gas wells, which pose environmental and health risks, while advocates call for greater accountability from oil and gas companies.

December 2 - Cronkite News


Yellow Flood Area road sign in Piney Point, Maryland.

Future Floods in Focus: Using AI and Physics to Visualize Disaster Risks

MIT researchers have developed a groundbreaking AI-powered tool that integrates physics-based models to generate realistic satellite images of future flooding, offering communities a powerful way to visualize and prepare for disasters.

December 2 - MIT News

Interstate 794 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee Interstate Removal Would Create Space for Thousands of New Housing Units

A proposal to replace the elevated Interstate 794 with a boulevard could create over a billion dollars in new development along the corridor.

December 2 - Urban Milwaukee


CLeveland, Ohio downtown skyline seen from grassy field.

Ohio Invests $58 Million to Revitalize Brownfields and Boost Local Economies

This investment in brownfield remediation will clean up hazardous sites, foster economic development, and create jobs through 61 new projects across 33 counties.

December 2 - Office of Governor Mike DeWine

Car parked at EV charging station in parking lot in Carlsbad, California.

California Governor Vows to Protect EV Credits

If the federal government eliminates the tax credit for electric vehicles, the governor will need legislative support to restart a state-level incentive program.

December 1 - The Hill

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1 - Smart Cities Dive

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1 - StreetsBlog NYC

View down San Francisco street downhill with cars parked on both sides.

How Well Will San Francisco’s Daylighting Program Work?

Unlike other efforts to prevent cars from parking near intersections to improve visibility and road safety, San Francisco has no plans to install physical infrastructure to keep vehicles out of danger zones.

November 29 - Streetsblog San Francisco

High-speed rail train passing on bridge with Chongqing, China skyline in background.

Is China’s High-Speed Rail Boom Unsustainable?

The country is building tens of thousands of miles of rail service that is expensive to maintain and, in some cases, redundant.

November 29 - MSN News

'Vertical canyon' on glass-clad residential high-rise in Denver, CO.

Denver's New High-Rise Integrates Vertical Canyon in Architectural Design

Unlike other new builds in Denver, Colorado, a new high-rise reveals a unique “sculptural canyon” running vertically through the facade to foster a sense of community and connection to nature.  

November 29 - designboom

Parked cars and bags of trash on New York City sidewalk.

NYC Launches ‘Smart Curbs’ Program

The pilot program on the Upper West Side will remove some curbside parking spots to replace them with public seating, bike racks, and delivery zones.

November 29 - Gothamist

Tesla factory in Fremont, California with dry hills in background.

Tesla Is California’s Second-Biggest Air Polluter

A Wall Street Journal investigation found multiple and repeated violations of California’s air quality rules.

November 28 - Jalopnik

MARTA subway train at platform in Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta City Leaders Call on MARTA to Expand Weekend Service

The city is set to host multiple major sporting events in the next several years, prompting calls for expanded transit service on weekends and to popular areas.

November 28 - Next City

Orange and white steam pipes in New York City releasing white steam against background of red brick buildings.

“Steam Loops” Can Power Large Buildings With Clean Energy

Underground steam pipe systems in New York, Boston, and other cities could hold the key to renewable power generation.

November 28 - Bloomberg CityLab

Row of concrete two-story homes with blue tile roofs under construction.

FEATURE

Opinion: “New Towns” Are the Answer to Affordable Housing Challenges

How thoughtful design can create more walkable, livable communities.

November 28 - Justin Hollander

"Restoration in progress" sign in the wetlands in Alviso Marsh, Don Edwards wildlife refuge, south San Francisco Bay, California.

Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Climate Action

These solutions offer cost-effective, sustainable methods to combat climate change, but require government action to reallocate subsidies, integrate natural assets into financial systems, and develop biodiversity credit markets.

November 27 - The Conversation

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