Urban Development

New York City: An Urban Planner's Guide to the City
One of the earliest urban centers in the United States, New York City is a vibrant, multicultural city with a complex set of challenges ahead of it.

Car-Free Arizona Suburb Gains Residents
The project, dubbed Culdesac, offers EV rentals, free light rail passes, and other perks instead of private parking.

Downtown Chicago Vacancy Rates at All-Time High, Slashing Building Values
Record vacancy rates and the high cost of borrowing money are fueling a commercial real estate crisis in downtown Chicago.

Commentary: San Antonio Needs ‘Thoughtful Reforms’ to Improve Affordability
The growing Texas city needs a new approach to meet its residents’ housing and mobility needs.

Video: How Tall Should Buildings Be?
Is there an ideal height — or should buildings be as tall as they need to be to fulfill housing needs?

How Federal Policy Can Encourage TOD
Tying transit and land acquisition funding together could help produce more housing near transit hubs.

Planning Trends to Watch in 2024
Post-pandemic clarity — and sheer necessity — may be bringing some of the most urgent issues of recent years to a head.

A Holistic Approach to Revitalizing Neighborhoods
Affordable housing is one piece of a larger, interconnected approach.

Considering Mindfulness as an Urban Planner's Tool
A recent blog post in Substack considers the appropriation of mindfulness to urban observation and, implicitly, urban planning today.

New Book Highlights How GIS Improves Outcomes
Esri Press recently published a digital book called Mapping the Nation which demonstrates how a geographic approach guides important decisions and addresses challenges around the globe.

The Benefits of Trees
In addition to all the economically valuable services they provide, trees are beautiful as pure aesthetic objects and a welcome presence in any landscape.

Securing Smart Cities: Financial Cybersecurity in an Urban Age
Explore financial cybersecurity in smart cities, addressing urban vulnerabilities and strategies for protection.

Arizona’s ‘Car-Free’ Community Takes Shape
Culdesac Tempe has been welcoming residents since last year.
TOD Opportunities Around America's First True High-Speed Rail Line
Brightline West hopes to break ground, in anticipation of a 2027 opening. Cities in the Inland Empire and High Desert areas of Southern California are looking to take advantage.

Did the Pandemic Spur Radical Urban Change?
The Covid era highlighted social inequities and prompted new paradigms for urbanism and mobility. Will they stick around?

The Changing Shape of American Suburbs
Housing costs and availability are pushing more American households, including young families, to suburbs and exurbs — and they’re demanding changes.

5 Urban Planning Ideas for How to Settle Mars
Colonization of the Red Planet is a hot topic of late. If someone were to try to take it from fantasy to reality, Earth's urban planners have a few tips that could help set future Martian cities up for success.

Pittsburgh To Develop Comprehensive Plan
The city voted to spend $6 million on a plan to address future development.

Opinion: Austin Zoning Reform Won’t Have Major Impact
Despite heated controversy, some experts believe the zoning changes made last year won’t make a significant dent in the local housing crisis.

Walkability Report Ranks NYC #1; Others May Surprise You
More surprising entries on the list include Houston and Los Angeles.
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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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland