Density

Dartmouth Dorms

The Role Student Housing Plays in Communities

Off-campus housing for college students has grown extensively over the last decade. What are communities doing to control the spread of student housing and its potentially negative effect on neighborhoods and affordable housing?

September 12, 2019 - Shelterforce Magazine

Eastside Gold Line and Los Angeles skyline

Anti-Development Forces Strike at L.A.'s Transit Oriented Communities Program

There's a new front in the city of L.A.'s ongoing conflict between anti-development forces and efforts to add density at and around transit.

September 10, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Mount Hood

Portland Adjusts Residential Infill Plan to Minimize Displacement

Portland wants to add density but doesn't want to displace current residents of low- and middle-income neighborhoods.

September 8, 2019 - The Oregonian

Durham City Park

New Density Planned as Affordable Housing, Growth Management Tool in Durham, North Carolina

The City Council of Durham, North Carolina has approved changes to the city's master plan, first approved in 2005, to allow new forms of density in residential neighborhoods proximate to the city's downtown urban core.

September 6, 2019 - News & Observer

Denver Region

Revisiting the Megaregion

The idea of cities as components of larger megaregions has lost some of its popularity, Alon Levy looks at regions around the world to try to understand how useful the concept is in understanding cities and regions.

September 5, 2019 - Pedestrian Observations

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Appetite for ADUs Rises in San Jose

San Jose has issued a steadily-rising number of ADU permits in recent years. Now, Mayor Sam Liccardo has implemented measures to ease the process for homeowners who want to build granny flats.

August 30, 2019 - The Mercury News

Copenhagen Bikes

What's Behind Copenhagen's Success as a Cycling City?

Denmark's capital is a model city in terms of biking, but the reasons that bikes rule go beyond political leadership and robust infrastructure.

August 22, 2019 - City Observatory

Olympic Mountains

State Law Allows for Local Reform of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act

Reform of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) is underway at the local level after a new state bill offered "safe harbor" under the law for a menu of land use and development reforms.

August 13, 2019 - The Urbanist

Single-Family Neighborhood

Debating the End of Single-Family Zoning in Toronto

A retired city planner takes a position against "lot splitting," or allowing more than one unit on properties zones for single-family residential as it's known in Toronto.

August 7, 2019 - The Star

San Diego Rail

A New Model for Growth in San Diego

When first announced in 2014, the Morena Corridor Specific Plan provoked protests. The plan has changed, but it now finally has initial approval from the San Diego City Council.

August 4, 2019 - Voice of San Diego

California Development

Zoning Change for Mixed-Use Developments, Density Near Transit Moves Forward

Until now, mixed-use projects have required a lengthy discretionary approval process in San Diego. That could change with a zoning change given preliminary approval by the City Council this week.

July 30, 2019 - Times of San Diego

Willamette River

Oregon Residents Wondering What Will Come as Statewide Zoning Reform Takes Effect

House Bill 2001 didn't ban single-family houses altogether, just single-family zoning, so change will take time, and money. There are a lot of unknowns for residents to grapple with when it comes to statewide upzoning.

July 24, 2019 - The Oregonian

Montgomery County

Controversial ADU Allowances Approved in Maryland

Spirited protests weren't enough to stop the Montgomery County Council from allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) in parts of the county.

July 23, 2019 - Bethesda Magazine

Sprawl

Op-Ed: Lakewood's Growth Cap Is 'Climate Arson'

In a scathing response to arguments in favor of a "slow growth" ordinance in Lakewood, Colorado, Mike Eliason rebukes the idea that capping growth is a green policy.

July 15, 2019 - Medium

Montgomery County Residential Homes

ADU Controversy in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Montgomery County Council is preparing to vote on an amendment that would loosen restrictions on the controversial building type known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

July 9, 2019 - WAMU

Victorian Architecture

Seattle Sets a New Standard for Residential Zoning

Seattle is the latest in a series of cities, states, and counties to alter the landscape of land use regulation by approving what the Sightline Institute describes as the "most progressive" ADU policy in the United States.

July 2, 2019 - Sightline Institute

State capital building

History Made: Oregon Legislature Ends Single-Family Zoning

A bill that seemed like it could be a casualty of a bitter partisan feud managed to squeak under the wire. With Governor Kate Brown's signature, single-family zoning will be prohibited throughout the state of Oregon.

July 1, 2019 - The Oregonian

walkable street

Walkable Neighborhoods Benefit Property Values

Walkable areas are more prosperous in cities all around the country, a report from Foot Traffic Ahead concludes.

June 27, 2019 - Curbed

Massachusetts

Zoning Slowing Production of New Homes in Massachusetts

A quarter of all Massachusetts renters spend more than half their income on rent. A report from the Smart Growth Alliance argues NIMBYism is partly to blame.

June 27, 2019 - CityLab

The Bronx

Successful Metropolitan Areas Prioritize Proximity

Brookings buils on the findings of recent research about jobs densification in cities around the country to make a larger point about the benefits of proximity in urban design, as compared to sprawl.

June 26, 2019 - Brookings

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.