Sprawl

Chicago Developers Replacing Four-Plus-Ones with Single-Family Homes

A piece of Chicago development history as disappearing, as well as some of the city's uniquely urban density, as developers convert four-plus-ones into single-family homes.

July 14, 2017 - Crain's Chicago Business

Floyds Fork Louisville

Louisville's Sprawl Threatens One of its Last Clean-Running Streams

New subdivision planning and construction is expected to expand the footprint of the Louisville metropolitan area. The question is whether those new developments will protect or harm the beloved Floyds Fork.

June 28, 2017 - Courier-Journal

Chester County, Pennsylvania

Huge Swath of Land Preserved in Pennsylvania's Fastest Growing County

Preservationists have bought one reprieve from the ongoing expansion of developed land in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

June 12, 2017 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

San Antonio Riverwalk

Back to the Suburbs: Most Metropolitan Are Getting Less Dense

A closer look at the data reveals a country that continues to sprawl.

May 23, 2017 - The New York Times

Master Planned Communities

California's Inland Empire Ready to Build Again

As an article in Builder puts it: the 'Inland Empire Strike Back' with a large new masterplanned community in Riverside County. This region, hit particularly hard by the housing crash of the Great Recession looks ready pick up where it left off.

May 20, 2017 - Builder

Gentrification

Gentrification, for Better and Worse

Gentrification—more wealthy people moving into lower-income communities—often faces opposition, sometimes for the wrong reasons. It is important to consider all benefits and costs when formulating urban development policies.

May 18, 2017 - Todd Litman

Suburban Arizona

America's Largest Suburb Flirts With Urbanization

John Wesley leads the charge to introduce urbanism into mega-suburb of Mesa, Arizona.

May 18, 2017 - Josh Stephens

Hillsborough River

With Florida Sprawl Comes Infrastructure and Public Safety Concerns

Some local officials in unincorporated Hillsborough County, outside of Tampa, Florida, are trying to take local residents up to the consequences of unmitigated sprawl.

May 5, 2017 - Tampa Bay Times

$1.5 Billion Development Planned for Cincinnati Exurb

Developers have announced plans for a $1.5 billion, multi-phase development to be located in Turtlecreek Township, in Warren County, Ohio.

May 4, 2017 - Dayton Business Journal

Los Angeles

Are Jews Coming Back to the Cities?

The growth of urban Jewish populations is more evidence that educated Americans are less hostile to city life today than they were in the late 20th century.

April 21, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Polling Place

Density is Destiny: Voting Records Mirror Proximity to Neighbors

Urban densities tend to encourage more liberal, tolerant values. Living among diverse neighbors can reduce fear and resentment, as everyday interactions break down stereotypes and misconceptions of ‘the other.’

April 20, 2017 - Places Journal

Los Angeles

Which Is the Most Sprawling City in the World?

Most people would probably guess that the world's most sprawling city is located in the United States, and according to most measures, they'd be right.

April 20, 2017 - The Guardian

Texas

Design Activism, Texas-Style

With suburban sprawl a long-standing issue in Texas, one San Antonio-based architecture firm is aiming to strengthen and revitalize its city's downtown core.

April 10, 2017 - Doggerel

Two Brothers Walk to School

Why So Early? School Start Times and Suburban Sprawl

The advent of sprawl coincided with a move toward earlier school start times, prompted by a need to coordinate complicated bussing. If students could walk to school, the problem might disappear.

April 6, 2017 - CityLab

Houston Light Rail

Sun Belt Sprawl Might Not Be Forever

Will sprawling cities stay sprawled? Starting in their downtowns, some Sun Belt behemoths are embracing denser, more walkable forms.

March 8, 2017 - CNU

Density

Debating the Relationship Between Compact Development and Driving

Leading researchers debate whether more compact urban development reduces automobile travel in the Journal of the American Planning Association. The issues are complex and important.

March 2, 2017 - Journal Of The American Planning Association

Tampa Bay Hasn't Invested in Public Transit, and it Shows

In terms of travel times, jobs, and facilities, Tampa Bay ranks last or close to last in every category that measures public transit service and spending.

February 24, 2017 - Tampa Bay Times

New York Apartments

Apartments, Cities, and Pollution

Some evidence suggests that apartments lead to more greenhouse gas emissions per capita than houses. Does this mean that suburbs pollute less than cities? Probably not.

February 23, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Downtown Street

Op-Ed: Houston Should Try to Kill Fewer Pedestrians

City officials in Houston have shown little regard for the safety of its people when they're walking outside, argues an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle.

February 10, 2017 - The Houston Chronicle

Autonomous Vehicle

A New Policy Agenda for Autonomous Vehicles: It's Time to Lead Innovation

A call for planners, policy makers, and the car industry to assertively lead the policy development in anticipation of the coming wave of autonomous vehicle technology.

February 9, 2017 - William Riggs

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.