The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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BLOG POST

Another Fun Neighborhood Analysis Toy

A Trulia feature offers lots of interesting information about neighborhoods (or at least about how their residents perceive them).

December 23 - Michael Lewyn

Rooftop Bar

Special Permits Could Be Required to Develop a Hotel in New York City

It could become a lot harder to develop a hotel in New York City, even in areas where hotel developments are zoned as-of-right and even after the pandemic has ravaged the industry.

December 23 - The Real Deal

Paris Skyline

PLANOPEDIA

What Is a Central Business District (CBD)?

A central business district (CBD) is a geographic area sometimes referred to as downtown, but with key distinctions critical to an understanding of city and regional planning.

December 22 - James Brasuell

Washington D.C. Street

COVID Stimulus Details for Planners

A few last minute changes were included in the version of the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, approved by Congress last night.

December 22 - APA Advocates via Twitter

Getting Raised in Gentilly, Loisiana

Adapting Building Codes to Natural Disasters Saves Billions

New research shows that modern building codes have prevented around $27 billion in damage from natural disasters between 2000 and 2016, yet many cities still operate under decades-old regulations.

December 22 - Route Fifty


Cement gravestones reading Father and Mother

The Race to Preserve America's Black Cemeteries

America's historic Black cemeteries, which have long fallen victim to displacement, relocation, and outright destruction, could have a new ally in the fight for preservation and recognition.

December 22 - Time Magazine

Chicago Apartments

Upzoning Isn't a Silver Bullet for Housing Affordability

Zoning changes have been a popular way to increase density and affordable housing, but more diversified policies could fill in the gaps where zoning fails.

December 22 - The Urbanist


Pedestrians

2019 Crash Fatality Data Reveals Relative Calm Before the Storm

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's latest crash fatality data for 2019 showed improving safety conditions for road users from the year prior. That progress is likely to vanish when the data for 2020 are complete.

December 22 - Smart Cities Dive

Miner Street Al Fresco

FEATURE

The Post-Pandemic Street

From designing streets to designing process.

December 22 - David Vega-Barachowitz

Hubway Bikeshare

Boston Installs New Bike Lanes as Part of GoBoston 2030 Initiative

The city wants to cut its car use in half by 2030 as part of an aggressive set of "aspirational" goals.

December 22 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

Detroit, Michigan

BLOG POST

A Farewell to One-Size-Fits-All Urbanism

Sustaining culture and character is more than a black or white proposition. It requires a careful blend that depends on local circumstances, meticulous research, and self-knowledge.

December 22 - Charles R. Wolfe

Coronavirus

California's Hospital Crisis: What Lies Ahead

As COVID infections and hospitalizations mount in California, ICU availability dropped to zero in Southern and Central California. Demand for hospital care is also outstripping supply in New Mexico.

December 21 - The Washington Post

Utah

Study Touts the Housing Affordability Benefits of Density for the State of Utah

The density debate can't be avoided in fast-growing Utah, according to the researchers and political leaders who support the findings of a new report from the University of Utah's Kem C. Garner Policy Institute.

December 21 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Congress

Biden Diversifies Cabinet With EPA Administrator, Interior Secretary Picks

President-elect Biden made two historic cabinet selections: Michael Regan, who heads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, to run the U.S. EPA, and Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, to head the Interior Department.

December 21 - The Washington Post

Coronavirus and Homelessness

'State of the Nation's Housing 2020' Report Traces Impact of COVID-19

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies releases its "The State of the Nation’s Housing 2020" report last month.

December 21 - Housing Matters

Pumping Gas

Transportation Climate Initiative Expected to Cross the Finish Line

Twelve northeastern states and D.C. are expected to sign a new cap-and-investment scheme designed to lower emissions from transportation.

December 21 - The Boston Globe

Traffic Safety

Vision Zero Action Plan Launched in Houston

In Houston, 60 percent of serious automobile crashes occur on 6 percent of the city's streets. A New Vision Zero Action Plan will focus safety improvements on those streets with a high density of traffic deaths and serious injuries.

December 21 - City of Houston Mayor's Office

Bus Lane

Pandemic Bus Lanes Show Promise as Permanent Solutions

As cities streamline approval processes for bus-only lanes during the pandemic, transit experts hope the projects will lead to lasting change.

December 21 - Streetsblog Chicago

New Jersey

Where Housing Prices Climbed Most During the Pandemic

Homes in suburban and even rural locations were hot commodities on the pandemic real estate market, according to an industry report.

December 21 - Inman News

Delivery Services

BLOG POST

The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics

The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.

December 20 - Devin Partida

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.