Redlining maps, ADU legislation, Project 2025, and more — catch up on Planetizen’s most popular headlines from August.

Features and blogs took center stage on Planetizen last month, capturing eight of our top 10 most popular content slots for August. Those stories included a deep dive into debunking of redlining map myths to important conversations about housing, including Project 2025’s potential impact on housing policy, housing preservation, and the role of ADUs in making homeownership more attainable. Top news headlines included Congress’s move to limit the size of SUVs and trucks and the urgent need to relocate communities at risk from climate change.
Here is the full list:
1. Putting the Myth of the Redlining Maps to Rest
The feature article by Alan Mallach debunks the myth that historical Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps are a primary cause of racial inequities in today’s Black neighborhoods. Research shows it’s a false narrative that needs to be put to rest, lest we risk investing in strategies that don’t result in any meaningful improvement to the lives of struggling low-income Black families.
2. ADUs as Condos: What Does it Mean for Homeownership?
The article explores how California's AB-1033 law that allows the sale of ADUs as condos could impact homeownership in the state, including making homeownership more attainable, especially in high-cost urban areas where median home prices are out of reach for many.
3. We Must Relocate to Prepare for Climate Change, and We Must Do it Now
This article highlights the critical need to relocate communities at risk from climate change and immediately prepare for its impacts, arguing that proactive measures are essential to protect vulnerable populations and build resilience against increasing climate-related threats.
4. Good As New: The Vital Role of Preservation in Solving the Housing Crisis
The article discusses how historic preservation can play a crucial role in addressing the housing crisis. By repurposing and maintaining existing structures, communities can increase affordable housing options while preserving cultural heritage and reducing environmental impact.
5. Project 2025 and Housing Policy
The blog examines the potential influence of Project 2025, a conservative policy platform from the Heritage Foundation, on housing policy, including potential impacts on affordability and development
6. Pedestrian-Friendly Cities: The Impact of Walkability Grants
This blog discusses how pedestrian-friendly city designs and walkability grants contribute to urban improvement. It highlights the benefits of such grants in enhancing walkability, reducing traffic, and fostering healthier, more vibrant communities.
7. Congress Introduces Bill to Limit Size of SUVs and Trucks
In late August, Congress introduced a bill to limit the size of SUVs and trucks to address safety and environmental concerns. The proposed legislation aims to reduce traffic accidents and lower emissions by setting size restrictions on these vehicles.
8. Book Excerpt: Rochester, New York’s Forgotten Subway
The book excerpt from Lost Subways of America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might Have Been by Jake Berman tells the story of Rochester, New York's long-since-shuttered subway system.
9. Book Review: Killed By A Traffic Engineer
Planetizen blogger Michael Lewyn offers his perspective on Killed By A Traffic Engineer by engineering professor Wes Marshall. The book explores the engineering errors that have led to the U.S.’s high traffic fatality rates.
10. Planners Be Nimble, Planners Be Quick
Planning should be methodical and responsive to community needs, but not to the point of inefficiency, Too much planning can be just as harmful as too little, writes Planetizen blogger Todd Litman.
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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.

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.

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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