A growing number of cities around the world, and around the United States, have banned horse-drawn carriages out of concern for the health and welfare of the horses.

Jake Blumgart reports on an idea that could change the way tourists and romantics get around cities in the United States.
Janet White, an animal rights activist and leader of the group Carriage Horse Freedom, "has an idea she thinks could help the tourism industry shift away from horse-powered buggy rides, a popular draw in the visitor-packed streets of Philadelphia’s oldest neighborhoods."
"White envisions elaborate carriages, looking as though they just appeared from the set of Beauty and the Beast, but powered purely by electricity," explains Blumgart.
By using batteries to power carriages, instead of horses, White hopes to get the best of both worlds: the appeal of a old-time romantic carriage ride, but without any animal suffering.
White is spreading the idea around the halls of power in Philadelphia, but cities around the world have already banned horse-drawn carriages altogether, including Montreal, Salt Lake City, Rome, Barcelona, and Guadalajara. New York City almost banned horse-drawn carriages during the de Blasio administration, but stopped short.
FULL STORY: Hold your horses: Can old-timey ‘e-carriages’ replace Old City buggies?

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom
The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland