COVID 19

Coronavirus and Urbanism

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.

November 12, 2020 - Reimagining the Civic Commons

2019 National Planning Conference

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.

November 12, 2020 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

MBTA Bus

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.

November 12, 2020 - Trains

Al Fresco Streets

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.

November 10, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Winter Markets

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.

November 9, 2020 - Andrew M. Manshel

2020 Election

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.

November 3, 2020 - James Brasuell

Outdoor Recreation

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.

November 2, 2020 - Wisconsin State Journal

Cresskill, New Jerset

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.

November 2, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing

'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.

November 1, 2020 - CBS News

Foreclosure Sign

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.

November 1, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Coronavirus

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.

October 29, 2020 - Brookings

Sfotball Fields

No Place to Play During the Pandemic

Youth sports in America have been devastated by the coronavirus which prompted the shutdown of programs and facilities for play and practice.

October 28, 2020 - The New York Times

Coronavirus and Urbanism

An American Urban Coronavirus Success Story

The City by the Bay has joined eight largely rural counties in California by advancing last Tuesday to the least restrictive tier of the state's new reopening criteria by reducing coronavirus transmission to nearly New York levels.

October 27, 2020 - The Mercury News

Rural Pandemic

The Impact of COVID-19 on Rural Areas

As the coronavirus outbreak surges across the country, many rural communities are now seeing an unprecedented spike in infections and hospitalizations.

October 26, 2020 - National Public Radio

COVID-19

COVID's Extensive 'Excess Mortality'

The pandemic's cumulative death toll in the U.S. does not include over 100,000 fatalities that are directly or indirectly attributable to COVID-19, according to a CDC report released Oct. 20 on the subject of "excess deaths."

October 25, 2020 - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

Public Housing

How Scaled Affordable Housing Asset Management Helps in the Time of COVID

How the Joint Ownership Entity NYC is helping its community developer members stay strong during COVID.

October 23, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Spain

Abandoned Rural Spain Rebounds With People Fleeing Cities

COVID-19 is leading an exodus to rural areas, according to this article. The shift could hurt the economies of cities, but it also presents opportunities for younger residents and people looking for a more sustainable lifestyle.

October 23, 2020 - Cities of the Future

Seattle Coronavirus

Seattle Extends Outdoor Dining for a Year, Eases Rules on Heaters for the Winter

Outdoor dining is going to hang out for a bit.

October 22, 2020 - Eater Seattle

Coronavirus Pandemic

The Battle for Playgrounds

New York City parents are unhappy that fitness enthusiasts are turning to playgrounds for their workouts.

October 21, 2020 - New York Post

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

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.