Grants, contributions, a collaboration with the Institute for Classical Architecture & Classical America, open minds, and tight budgets are helping Habitat for Humanity raise its design standards.
" 'To be effective, affordable housing should be dispersed throughout healthy historic neighborhoods that have an intact community structure and access to transit,' says NEA Director of Design Jeff Speck. 'But these neighborhoods often resist Habitat houses, not for socioeconomic reasons, but simply because Habitat's designs are not compatible with their historic fabric.' Speck helped bring ICA (now ICA&CA) and Habitat together shortly after becoming NEA director in 2003 "in hopes that they may find a way around this problem.' He says, 'The program that they have created is an inspiring model of how designers can direct their talents towards the service of society.' "
FULL STORY: Habitat aims to improve affordable housing design

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service