Urban Development

Colorful one-story wooden homes in the French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

How Short-Term Rental Restrictions Impact Urban Planning

Short-term rental regulations are a hot topic in the urban planning world. As more cities consider—or are already implementing—these regulations, they need to understand how they impact various urban landscape areas.

December 6, 2022 - Devin Partida

Portland

Op-Ed: Housing Solution Lies Within Urban Growth Boundary

Undoing Oregon’s urban growth boundaries won’t solve the state’s housing crisis, an opinion piece argues. Smart growth lies within existing cities.

December 5, 2022 - The Oregonian

Cleveland, Ohio

Cuyahoga Riverfront Redevelopment Announced

The $3.5 billion project aims to revitalize the historic waterfront with new mixed-use developments.

December 5, 2022 - Spectrum News 1

Empty New York City street during the COVID-19 pandemic with #NYSTRONG billboard in foreground.

From ‘Urban Exodus’ to ‘Urban Doom Loop’

The initial shocks of the Covid 19 pandemic have become more persistent, and it’s time to start wondering what comes next for the communities on either side of the changes.

December 4, 2022 - The New York Times

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

Bipartisan Support for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Expansion

House representatives on both sides of the aisle are calling for legislation that would expand one of the nation’s most powerful affordable housing tools.

November 30, 2022 - Housing Finance

A conceptual rendering of new buildings around the Huntington Metro station in Virginia.

A New Transit Oriented Vision for Fairfax County, Virginia

A new transit station area plan is reaching the finishing line for the Huntington Metro station, serving the WMATA’s Yellow Line in Northern Virginia.

November 30, 2022 - FFX Now

Dark parking garage, empty except for one car covered with a red tarp

Advice for a Post-Parking Mandate World

After abolishing parking requirements, what can cities do to make the most of new space and revenue and avoid backlash?

November 29, 2022 - Next City

A view of the Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building in the distance.

Constitutional Protections for Environmental Rights Latest Roadblock for NYC Megaproject

The latest in a series of lawsuits against a megaproject proposed for Manhattan is the first to sue on the grounds provided by a constitutional amendment approved by the state of New York a year ago.

November 27, 2022 - StreetsBlog NYC

The downtown high rises of Hamilton, Ontario are surrounded by greenery and the blue of Lake Ontario on a sunny day.

In Reversal, Ontario Government Could Open Toronto Greenbelt to Development

The Toronto Greenbelt was an urban growth boundary created in 2005 as one of the most obvious political victories for the Smart Growth movement in North America. A new bill would reverse course on the region’s growth policies.

November 27, 2022 - The Narwhal

Alaska

Anchorage Eliminates Parking Requirements Citywide

Anchorage is the latest city to enact sweeping parking reforms, in another blow to the car-centric status quo of planning.

November 23, 2022 - Anchorage Daily News

View of vacant lot in Manhattan through chain link fence

How Low Land Taxes Contribute to the Housing Shortage

The relatively low cost of holding on to vacant lots leads to underdevelopment in what are often prime residential areas.

November 23, 2022 - The Wall Street Journal

Two bridges cross the Mississippi Rivera midst thick vegetation and few other signs of human intervention.

$323 Million Waterfront Project Cruising Along in St. Louis

Lighthouse Point, a $323 million marina and waterfront development proposed for the banks of the Mississippi River, has already been granted a special district, tax abatements, and sales tax exemptions.

November 23, 2022 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Under Armour Clothing Global Headquarters

Developers Rebrand Baltimore’s Port Covington Megaproject

The megaproject formerly known as Port Covington is now known as Baltimore Peninsula.

November 23, 2022 - The Baltimore Banner

Seattle

Seattle Considering Expedited Design Review for Affordable Housing

An emergency order in April 2020 exempted affordable housing projects from the city of Seattle’s design review process. A new ordinance would allow affordable housing proposals there own path to approval for another two-year test period.

November 22, 2022 - The Center Square

Musician playing guitar in front of outdoor seating and sidewalk vendors in Houston, Texas

Houston Development Aims to Create Hyper-Walkable, Micro-Living Neighborhood

The 17-acre Second Ward project has spurred both optimism for a more walkable city and concerns about displacement and gentrification.

November 21, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Victorian two-story buildings with retail shops in downtown Nashvile, Tennessee

Nashville Sets Downtown Parking Maximums

Nashville is the latest city to enact a substantive change to the parking requirements set by the city’s zoning code—doing away with parking minimums and setting parking maximums in the city’s Urban Zoning Overlay.

November 20, 2022 - The Tennessean

The  Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux is crowded with pedestrians in a lively European scene.

European Cities Act on Density

The sprawling mass of suburbia has been a disaster for the environment. But now smaller, denser cities herald a renaissance in city living.

November 20, 2022 - Wired Magazine

Walkable Street

Report: Sustainability Goals Go Unmet in Many Global Cities

Cities around the world are failing to achieve progress toward their sustainability and public health goals, new research finds.

November 17, 2022 - Brookings

Aerial view of circular street pattern with buildings in Sun City, Arizona with desert mountains in background

Arizona’s Growth Threatens Water Supplies

New communities are popping up across Arizona’s desert, evading water consumption restrictions and straining the state’s groundwater supplies.

November 17, 2022 - KJZZ

Market Street San Francisco

San Francisco Could Strike Deal on New Tower

The city is leveraging height increases and density bonuses to acquire more properties for affordable housing.

November 16, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.