As post-war development reaches 50 years of age, preservationists and local officials in Arlington, Texas, grapple with the question of what to preserve.
"Is there really anything 'historic' about cookie-cutter subdivisions? And if the ubiquitous tract house is worth saving - well, what then? Is the rest of postwar suburbia - McDonald's, strip malls and motels - also headed for the National Register of Historic Places? These issues are only beginning to surface in American communities, especially in the South and West, where the bulk of everything that's ever been built came after World War II. As local officials are increasingly asked to pass judgment on a period that preservationists call 'the recent past,' they'll have to sort out for themselves the parts of suburban sprawl that are worth saving from redevelopment."
"This coming of age raises some important public policy questions.. Now, preservationists find themselves trying to educate the public about why the style is important even when it isn't beautiful, and why examples must be saved for future generations. Then there is the politics of suburban sprawl. The National Trust and its state and local partners are big advocates of sprawl-busting 'smart growth' policies - even as they now find themselves defending developments that are essentially the template upon which suburban sprawl was built."
Thanks to Nathaniel Vogt
FULL STORY: Honey, Our House Is Historic!

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems
SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects
The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.
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
Ada County Highway District
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