Coronavirus

Will Cuomo Save Transit in New York?
Assuming that Congress isn't going to act, does New York Gov Cuomo have the political will to save the New York MTA from sweeping layoffs and service cuts?

From Paris to Portland: The 15-Minute City Goes Mainstream
Raising the bar on the 20-minute neighborhood model, cities around the world are embracing the appeal of the 15-minute city during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 'Marshall Plan for Middle America' Plans $600 Million in Clean Energy Investments
A coalition of leaders in the Appalachian region recently released the "Marshall Plan for Middle America" to create jobs and transition the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky away from fossil fuels.

How Oakland Is Fixing its Pandemic Planning Equity Problem
The Oakland Slow Streets program, one of the most controversial developments of the early pandemic, has evolved to become the Essential Places initiative, thanks to new planning practices and a commitment to equity in Oakland, California.

National Rent Debt Projected to Reach $7.2 Billion by the End of 2020
The weight of the pandemic is hanging around millions of renters' necks.

Digital Leaders in the Time of Coronavirus
The 2020 edition of the Digital Cities Survey by the Center for Digital Government recognized cities of all sizes for deploying digital technology to empower pandemic responses.

Massachusetts Showed States How to Create an Eviction Ban. Now It’s Backpedaling
The Massachusetts eviction moratorium—one of the strongest in the nation—expired, just in time for winter. How did this happen?

Holiday Travel Expected to Slow in 2020, With Economic Impacts for Cities
As the holiday season approaches and the pandemic continues, cities face an uncertain future.

Reimagined Public Spaces and Programming During the Pandemic
Public spaces have become more important than ever. Here are five case studies of innovative and safely designed programming that engages people of all ages and backgrounds.

Planning with Gratitude
Being a planner is not easy. Our work may often leave us discouraged, frustrated, and cynical. But with Thanksgiving approaching, let's take some time to reflect and count our blessings.

Transit Plans Change as the Pandemic Lingers
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) this week proposed cuts to public transit service. In a decision that will likely repeat as more transit agencies undertake similar processes, the MBTA decided to prioritize buses over trains.

Uncertain Times for Trade Shows and Conferences
Expecting a dark winter, conferences are being canceled worldwide, putting millions of jobs at risk.

Parametric Modeling for Planning in Uncertain Times
A new technology- and data-drive approach to planning could provide direction as society faces challenges of unprecedented scale.

Winter Is Coming—Capitalize on It
Outdoor dining programs have provided relief for local restaurants and retailers, while offering an oasis of social life for residents. The winter months will challenge that momentum, but creative, flexible approaches can save the day again.

Coronavirus and the Future of Cities: A Final Pre-Election Tour of the Issues
This is Planetizen's seventh collection of articles on the subject of the future of cities in the wake of the pandemic, and how cities and communities are changing plans to respond to the many changes that world has experienced in 2020.

Outdoor Recreation Boosted by the Pandemic
The pandemic brought droves of people to Wisconsin’s outdoors, resulting in crowds on trails and at camp sites as well as a growth in the outdoor recreation and manufacturing economy.

The CARES Act Was Supposed to Protect NJ Tenants from Eviction. It Didn’t.
State activists say eviction cases were filed in violation of the CARES Act’s ban on evictions. Pre-trial settlement conferences are further complicating the situation.

'We are Entering the Steep Slope of the Epidemic Curve'
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, warned CBS viewers recently that the U.S. was at a "dangerous tipping point" in the pandemic. "We are on the cusp of exponential growth," he added later.

Real Estate Defaults Are Coming. Don’t Waste Them.
Here’s what the federal government should do to grab the opportunity to create affordable housing.

Tracking the COVID-19 Eviction Crisis
Advocates have sounded alarms since the pandemic's outset about the potential for unprecedented waves of evictions as Americans deal with the economic consequences of the pandemic, but authoritative real-time data on the rental market is lacking.
Pagination
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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.
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NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service