2020 Election

King County Metro Transit

Transit Spending on the Ballot in Seattle and Washington

Voters in the city of Seattle will consider a sales tax to fund bus transit service, while voters around the state of Washington will have a chance to send new leaders to Congress.

November 2, 2020 - The Seattle Times

Blight Demolition

$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit

Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.

October 29, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Presidential Campaign

For Transportation, Real Reform Can Only Happen at the State and Local Levels

Without buy-in for new ways of thinking at the state level, the presidential election is not likely to change much about the ways the United States plans and funds transportation infrastructure.

October 28, 2020 - theTransportPolitic

Chicago, Illinois

Advocates Urge Mayor Lightfoot to Keep Transit Running in the Event of Post-Election Unrest

Nine organizations signed a petition to prioritize access to transit during potential post-election protests.

October 22, 2020 - WTTW

Coronavirus

North Dakota Physicians Plead for State and Local Leaders to Mandate Masks

The medical community is sounding the alarm in North Dakota, where hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients. With the governor opposed to issuing a statewide mask mandate, physicians are asking local governments and the public for help.

October 21, 2020 - Grand Forks Herald

Trump and Biden Ballot

Potential Presidential Election Outcomes for U.S. Transportation Policy

Experts opine on the consequences of the presidential election for U.S. transportation policy.

October 20, 2020 - CNN

New York New Jersey Transit

Biden Would Finally Get the Gateway Project Moving, Advocates Say

A group of regional experts and advocates provide details on how a win by former Vice President Joe Biden might change the direction of the Gateway Project to repair the rail link between New Jersey and New York.

October 14, 2020 - The Bond Buyer

Tenant Protections

Another Rent Control Initiative on the Ballot in California

There are significant differences between Proposition 21, a statewide rent control measure on the ballot in California, compared to a similar measure defeated soundly by voters in 2018.

October 12, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Transportation Planning

Portland Voters to Consider Largest Ever Transportation Investment in November

The Get Moving 2020 transportation plan will face voters in thee Portland, Oregon region in November.

October 8, 2020 - KGW

San Francisco Bay Area

On the Ballot in Alameda: The End of Single-Family Zoning

Voters in Alameda, a city of nearly 80,000 people on an island in the East San Francisco Bay Area, will vote to end a prohibition on multi-family housing that has been in place since 1973.

October 6, 2020 - Alameda Sun

MARTA Green Line

Transit Sales Tax Hinges on Local Control in Suburban Atlanta

Gwinnett County voters living have rejected proposals to pay taxes for the MARTA transit system before, so the latest proposal for a transit sales tax is going to great lengths to prove its local control bonafides.

October 1, 2020 - SaportaReport

Project Connect, Capital Metro

How COVID Impacts the Future of Light Rail in Austin

The budget for Austin’s massive transportation plan was cut by nearly a third in the wake of the pandemic, but a tax rate increase to help pay for it is still on the ballot for November.

September 30, 2020 - Katharine Jose

MAX line in front of Pioneer Courthouse

Big Business in Portland Doesn't Want to Pay for Metro Transportation Funding Measure

A heated dispute over a $5 billion Metro transportation funding ballot measure has erupted between climate activists and a group representing Portland's big business interests.

September 28, 2020 - The Portland Mercury

Marquam Bridge

Audit Faults Oregon DOT for Lack of Public Engagement

Faulted for lack of attention to pedestrian and bike advocates, the Oregon Department of Transportation will soon have opportunities to redeem itself.

September 6, 2020 - The Oregonian

Electric vehicle

Biden's New Climate Plan Would Spend $2 Trillion in Four Years

Biden is amping up his campaign promises to leverage the federal government in the fight to reduce greenhouse emissions in the U.S. economy.

July 19, 2020 - Grist

2020 Campaign

What Could a Joe Biden Presidency Accomplish on Affordable Housing?

Democratic presidential candidates made the housing crisis part of their platforms. What might a President Biden do to ease the shortage?

April 27, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Columbus, Ohio skyline reflected in the Scioto River

Another State (Ohio) Gets It Right

Washington and California have been praised for early efforts to mitigate community spread of the novel coronavirus, resulting in relatively low rates of infection, hospitalization, and ultimately, death. Add Ohio to the bunch.

April 14, 2020 - The Washington Post

BART Train

Competing Funding Strategies Promoted for Bay Area Transit Mega-Measure

Two Bay Area transportation sales tax measures affecting three Bay Area counties performed poorly on Super Tuesday, but it hasn't deterred the groups backing a nine-county mega-measure. Progressive groups are proposing non-sales tax alternatives.

March 9, 2020 - The Mercury News

Presidential Campaign

Comparing the Housing Agendas of the Remaining Democratic Frontrunners for President

A deep dive into the statements on official housing policies of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders in an era of intense housing anxieties.

March 9, 2020 - Curbed

Super Tuesday 2020

Super Tuesday Results for Planning and Land Use Votes

Super Tuesday wan't just for presidential primaries: numerous local elections decided the future of land use policy in the largest state in the nation, while Oklahoma City weighed in on planning-related issues as well.

March 4, 2020 - James Brasuell

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.