Houston

Speck: Don't Widen I-45 in Houston
Jeff Speck, planning consultant and author of Walkable City, writes an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle to oppose the plan to widen the I-45 freeway in Houston.

A Houston Columnist Celebrates Japan's Transit Infrastructure
The paper of record in a Texas oil town is a surprising place to find an article singing the praises of a society built on public transit instead of the automobile.

Texas Roadway a Threat to Prairie Preserve, Say Environmentalists
Part of the Houston-area Grand Parkway would pass through a tallgrass prairie reserve, and opponents say it would destroy the grasslands and bird habitat.

Flood Plans, Green Infrastructure Take Center Stage in Houston's Mayoral Race
The city of Houston will decide their next mayor in November, in a rematch of the two candidates who ran against each other in a tight runoff election in 2015 as well as a host of additional candidates.

Voters Will Decide on $3.5 Billion Transit Funding Bond in Houston
Houston's potential as a multi-modal city will be on the ballot this November.

Parking Minimums Not Required in a Larger Section of Houston
The Houston Council voted yesterday to extend its market-base parking program.

Houston Gets a Handle on Homelessness While Dallas Struggles
Formerly playing host to almost double the homeless population of Dallas, Houston has addressed the problem with some success over the past decade. Meanwhile, rising costs have fueled a growing crisis in Dallas.

Scrutiny for Houston Development Patterns After New Stormwater Regulations
Advocates and researchers say new development regulations, with more stringent flood protections, aren't doing enough to control the stormwater impacts of sprawl.

The Devil's in the Details for Houston's Hobby Line Light Rail Planning
Several alternative routes are still under consideration for a planned light rail route included in Houston's METRONext long-range transit plan, in progress ahead of a vote by residents in November.

How a Freeway Widening Project Will Reshape Houston
The environmental impact report for the North Houston Highway Improvement Project is still underway, after 15 years of planning, but it's not too early to imagine the consequences of this massive project.

Flooding Less of a Concern as Hurricane Memories Fade
Residents of Houston are less likely to think of flooding as a concern, or to think development should be prohibited in flood-prone areas, as in the years immediately following Hurricane Harvey.

Bike Infrastructure Makeover Underway in Houston
It might surprise people outside of Texas to hear about the progress of new, high quality bike infrastructure in the city of Houston.

Black Towns Face Threats From Flooding and Buyouts
Many of the historic towns would disappear if flood buyout programs force residents to relocate.

Connecting the Issues of Flooding and Affordable Housing in Texas
A study released this week by the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium ( the University of Houston, the Kinder Institute, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and more) raises concerns that new floodplain regulations could harm renters.

'Urban Luxury' Housing Skyrockets in Texas and Beyond
An explosion of upscale multifamily development in Texas cities reflects trends in the national housing market.

The Future of U.S. High-Speed Rail Is in Texas
Carlos Aguilar, Texas Central president and CEO, comments on the changes to the San Francisco-to-Anaheim project announced last month by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and why his project linking Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth will progress.

Houston's $7.5 Billion Multimodal Transportation Plan
The Moving Forward Plan seeks to improve transportation throughout the region, but funding and project priorities still need to be sorted out.

Gentrification Threat Spreading in Houston, Particularly on City’s East Side
A decrease in affordable housing, the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, and demographic changes mean more of the city’s neighborhoods are facing gentrification challenges.

$7.5 Billion Regional Transit Plan Revealed in Houston
The METRONext Moving Forward Plan was revealed at the annual meeting of the Greater Houston Partnership.

Slideshow: Walkable Houston
The Houston Chronicle shares the views in the most walkable sections of the city of Houston.
Pagination
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service