Urban Development

Multifamily housing under construction.

How Might Tariffs and Deportations Affect Affordable Housing Development?

Many affordable housing developers worry Trump’s proposed taxes on imports and crackdown on immigration will be detrimental to the industry. Others hope deregulation reduces development costs enough to offset those effects. What’s the most likely outcome?

January 30, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Row of multicolored three-story apartment buildings.

What Is ‘Affordable Housing’?

For such a commonly used term, “affordable housing” means a lot of different things to different people and in different contexts.For such a commonly used term, “affordable housing” means a lot of different things to different people and in different contexts.

January 30, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Ornate Victorian San Francisco houses with modern high-rises in background.

Commentary: A New ‘Grand Bargain’ for American Housing

For decades, many U,S, neighborhoods successfully resisted change at the expense of a few neighborhoods sacrificed to mass development. Is there a better way?

January 29, 2025 - Strong Towns

Drone view from Independence Monument in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Urbanism in a Time of War

The first in a series of posts reflecting on urbanism and rebuilding efforts in Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022.

January 29, 2025 - Mikael Colville-Andersen

View of brick buildings and One World Trade Center building and New York City skyline.

Is the Urban Form Sustainable?

One author offers a framework for resilience that rethinks common assumptions about the inevitability of cities as we know them.

January 28, 2025 - Next City

Aerial view of Waikiki Beach with hotels and mountains in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rising Above: Innovative Solutions for Waikīkī’s Sea-Level Challenges

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s award-winning Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation project combines science, architecture, and community input to create scalable solutions for climate resilience and coastal flood mitigation.

January 28, 2025 - University of Hawai'i News

Row of tall palm trees in Los Angeles against sunset sky.

Rethinking Los Angeles Landscapes: Balancing Iconic Trees and Fire Resilience

L.A. must balance fire resilience with ecological preservation by gradually replacing flammable non-native plants like eucalyptus and palm trees with native and fire-resistant species while rethinking urban landscapes and land management practices.

January 28, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

View from behind of person standing on city sidewalk wearing red and black plaid shirt looking across street at dusk.

Study: Americans Spending Less Time Interacting in Public Space

American pedestrians are moving faster and spending less time connecting with other people when walking down city streets.

January 27, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of trainsin Hundson Yards and New York City skyline.

Can We Resist Displacement From Transit-Oriented Development?

Transit stations increase nearby jobs and populations, but they could also contribute to displacement. What can we do differently?

January 26, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial view of Klyde Warren deck park on freeway cap in downtown Dallas, Texas.

I Help Plan Cap Parks; Here’s What Austin Can Learn from Other Cities

How freeway capping projects can literally and metaphorically bridge urban divides.

January 24, 2025 - Dan Biederman

Aerial view of Macarthur Park lake with downtown Los Angeles skyline in background.

What Has Measure ULA Achieved?

Los Angeles has imposed an additional tax on luxury home sales to generate millions for housing efforts in the city. Shelterforce checks in on where the money has gone, and what’s to come.

January 23, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Spanish-style arch over street reading 'Bienvenidos a Little Village" in Chicago, Illinois at golden hour.

Chicago Latino Corridor Hollowed Out Amid Deportation Fears

Foot traffic and business in the largely Latino Little Village neighborhood declined by as much as 50 percent, with many businesses staying closed on Tuesday.

January 23, 2025 - Bloomberg

Office buildings in downtown Washington, D.C.

DC Announces ‘Office to Anything’ Adaptive Reuse Program

The program complements an existing residential conversion initiative and could yield up to 2.5 million square feet of new commercial space.

January 23, 2025 - ABC 7 News

Smoky sky overlooking Los Angeles skyline during 2025 wildfires.

While California Fires Burn On, Residents Take on Rent Gouging

Residents have already seen online listings skyrocketing in price—despite laws against such hikes. With fires still raging, LA and Pasadena tenants are demanding protections against rent raises and eviction.

January 22, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial view of residential buildings in Koreatown, Los Angeles with downtown skyline in background

The Urban Heat Divide: Addressing LA’s Thermal Inequities

LA's thermal inequities leave low-income, minority neighborhoods disproportionately hotter and more vulnerable, prompting advocacy and policy efforts to address these disparities through green infrastructure and equitable climate investments.

January 21, 2025 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Professional cleaners wearing medical masks and gloves cleaning desks in large empty office.

The Ripple Effects of Remote Work

The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.

January 21, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of person holding hand-written "Affordable Homes Now!" sign.

America’s Housing Crisis: Lessons Ignored and Challenges Ahead

A recent study reveals how decades of policy missteps, demographic shifts, and economic forces fueled America’s housing crisis, leaving millions — especially millennials — struggling amid rising demand, racial disparities, and climate-driven emergencies.

January 19, 2025 - USC Today

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

String lights across an alley in Cranford, New Jersey at night.

Midburbs: A New Definition of Suburbs

When the name “suburb” just doesn't quite fit.

January 17, 2025 - Gabe Bailer - PP - AICP - NJ Urbanthinker

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Learning From Wildfire Evacuations

Researchers are working to understand how people behave during wildfire events and how to most effectively get people to safety during deadly fires.

January 16, 2025 - Wired

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.