The City of Vancouver, B.C. is shifting its focus away from skyscrapers and condos and into more "hidden" and "invisible" ways of creating density like laneway housing.
Planning Director Brent Toderian talks about the difficulty of convincing people that density isn't scary.
"Talking about density in cities is not easy," he says. "It's not easy politically, it's not easy culturally." In fact, he says "the so-called 'D' word" is often the third rail of local politics-the issue that no one wants to touch-but that as long as it's done right, density doesn't have to be controversial.
"When folks suggested height or were concerned about height," Toderian says of the community meetings he's attended, "I often pointed out to them that the initiative was not called EcoHeight And often individuals are more sensitive to height than they are to density."
FULL STORY: The E Word

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.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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