Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. against purplish sunset light.

SCOTUS Hamstrings Federal Agencies, a Blow to Housing and Health Equity

The Supreme Court has overturned the legal precedent Chevron deference. Without the authority to interpret ambiguities in regulations, the critical work of HHS and HUD could suffer.

October 30, 2024 - Zachary Travis

Aerial view of Grants Pass, Oregon on cloudy day.

Grants Pass Bans Outdoor Sleeping, Creates Designated Camping Areas

The Oregon city was at the heart of a controversial Supreme Court case that paves the way for the criminalization of homelessness.

August 12, 2024 - AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A orange-and-blue tent set up next to a tree in a paved courtyard and a cardboard box of posessions next to the tent entrance.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Camping Bans, but Challenges of Addressing Homelessness Remain

In Grants Pass v. Johnson, the Supreme Court upheld an Oregon city’s ban on camping in public places, paving the way for similar bans in cities across the country but doing nothing to solve the cause of homelessness.

July 8, 2024 - Brian J. Connolly

U.S. Supreme Court

Will the Supreme Court’s Chevron Decision Impact Environmental Regulations?

By overturning the Chevron doctrine, the Supreme Court stripped federal agencies like the EPA of final say when interpreting ambiguous legislative policies, leaving future decisions up to judges.

July 1, 2024 - Grist

Close-up of South Burlington, Vermont on yellow map.

Vermont Land Use Case Could Go to Supreme Court

Property owners argue that a new law protecting wildlife corridors amounts to an unconstitutional taking of property.

May 31, 2024 - The Other Paper

 The west tunnel entrance to the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant in March 2020 with O and A letters missing in Oceanside.

San Francisco Takes on EPA in Supreme Court Case

The Court has agreed to hear an appeal challenging federal water pollution regulations.

May 30, 2024 - San Francisco Chronicle

People gathered in front of US Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

Will Supreme Court Case Lead to Lower Impact Fees — or Just More Studies?

Everybody seems to think that the recent case from California could lead to dramatically lower fees — and lower housing costs. But that's not what the court decided.

April 26, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Navajo Generating Station, a coal-fired steam plant near Page, Arizona.

The Inflation Reduction Act's Secret Climate Weapon

While the impact on inflation of the questionably-titled Inflation Reduction Act remains to be seen, the law will mitigate the damage done by a landmark Supreme Court case in June that gutted the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

September 1, 2022 - The New York Times

Coal Mining and Power Station

Did the Supreme Court Gut Federal Power?

The Supreme Court limited the EPA's power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Some commentators believe that this decision will virtually eliminate EPA power—but the decision is too ambiguous to support such a clear conclusion.

July 3, 2022 - Michael Lewyn

New Jersey Power Plant

Supreme Court Guts the U.S. EPA’s Ability to Limit Carbon Emissions

The consequences of this ruling have long been foretold. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now officially barred from the fight against climate change, Congress will have to act to reduce carbon emissions.

June 30, 2022 - Yahoo News

A close up image of the exterior of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda illuminated at dusk.

Senate Vote Illustrates America's Polarized Response to Pandemic

A Senate joint resolution to roll back the Biden administration's only vaccine mandate to be upheld by the Supreme Court passed on a party-line vote on March 2. In Europe, the legislative branch often needs to approve these measures to become law.

March 7, 2022 - The New York Times

The exterior of the U.S. Supreme Court, with an American flag flying above its large columns and white marble exterior.

Supreme Court: OSHA Exceeded its Public Health Authority

The Supreme Court ruled that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had overreached its authority to protect the health of workers in large private companies. In a separate decision, it upheld a vaccine mandate for most healthcare workers.

January 18, 2022 - The New York Times

Billboard Flag

Supreme Court Case Could Transform Sign Regulations

If the Supreme Court upholds a lower court decision, cities could lose a long-standing right to regulate 'off-premises' billboards.

November 9, 2021 - American Planning Association

Factory Emissions

Supreme Court To Hear Challenge to EPA Powers

The Court's decision could limit the agency's authority to regulate carbon emissions in the power sector.

November 2, 2021 - Bloomberg

Supreme Court of the United States

Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Eviction Moratorium

The majority opinion claims the CDC overstepped its authority and calls for congressional approval of any further eviction moratoriums.

August 29, 2021 - New York Times

U.S. Supreme Court

Amy Coney Barrett's Only Property Rights Ruling, Careful, Narrow, Deferential

A month ago, Barrett dismissed a challenge to Chicago's deal with the Obama Center by rejecting a very expansive claim of a "taking" under the 5th Amendment and by showing great deference to the city.

September 28, 2020 - California Planning & Development Report

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Refuses Landmark Homelessness Case

A closely watched court case related to how cities deal with homeless people sleeping in public, Martin v. Boise, will not get hearing with the U.S. Supreme Court.

December 16, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Homeless Seattle

Supreme Court Could Decide on Homeless Public Sleeping

The Supreme Court will be considering for the first time whether the Constitution gives homeless people a right to sleep on the sidewalk.

December 9, 2019 - Idaho Statesman

U.S. Supreme Court

Inclusionary Zoning and the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court might decide on the constitutionality of inclusionary zoning. Local land use regulations and affordable housing policies in cities and communities all over the country hang in the balance.

October 10, 2019 - CityLab

Supreme Court of the United States

The New Supreme Court and the Future of Fair Housing

The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy introduces the possibility that a future court will overturn the doctrine of disparate impact central to fair housing practices and policies.

July 2, 2018 - CityLab

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.

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