The cities that often top the "most livable" lists like San Francisco, Portland, Boston and D.C. also happen to have the lowest percentage of households with children. Does that mean that kids make places un-livable?
The Conservative Planner pins the problem (naturally) on "progressive planning efforts aimed at strengthening formerly dilapidated urban neighborhoods.":
"What is keeping families from coming back to these cities?
Affordability is probably the biggest contributor to this, given that most re-claimed neighborhoods have been gentrified to a degree which few middle class families can entertain the thought of buying a residence despite advantages in terms of walkability and access. Forget having a yard or a place for the dog to drop."
A jobs/housing imbalance is also to blame, says The Conservative Planner.
Thanks to David Sanderson
FULL STORY: No Kids On the Block
How Urban Design Can Benefit Parents and Kids
Designing thoughtful, child-friendly public spaces can ease the burdens of modern parenting and offer safe spaces for children to learn self-reliance and resilience.
How Courtyard Apartments Make Cities More Family-Friendly
Apartment buildings with interior courtyards can offer safe, affordable, and functional spaces for urban households with children.
Kids and Urbanization
The question of whether there is space for children in rapidly changing cities was under investigation in two recent studies with somewhat contradictory findings.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research