Arizona
Phoenix Facilitates School-to-Affordable Housing Development
Two Phoenix school districts are selling their underused properties to build over 200 units of affordable housing.
Culdesac Tempe Defies Expectations
Despite initial skepticism about its true potential for sustainable urbanism, the built-from-scratch “car-free neighborhood” is widely popular with its residents.
Urban Forest Initiative Launched in Phoenix to Combat Extreme Heat
Arizona State University's $5 million Greater Phoenix Urban Forestry Accelerator aims to combat record-breaking heat, improve shade coverage, and create green job pathways in underserved neighborhoods.
Phoenix Shade Plan Focuses on Bus Stops
The city’s updated Shade Master Plan calls for trees and built structures at bus stops to protect residents from heat.
Cities Prioritize Urban Reforestation to Combat Heat and Revitalize Communities
Cities like Phoenix, Chicago, and Boise are prioritizing urban reforestation as critical green infrastructure to combat extreme heat, address environmental inequities, and foster community revitalization.
Plugging the Gap: Taxpayers Shoulder the Burden of Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells
Taxpayers, federal agencies, and tribal governments are working to address Arizona's orphaned oil and gas wells, which pose environmental and health risks, while advocates call for greater accountability from oil and gas companies.
Phoenix Announces Shade Action Plan
The city has outlined 11 strategic priorities aimed at addressing the risks of extreme heat and protecting vulnerable residents from its impacts.
Research Shows Cool Pavement Coatings Can Raise Ambient Temperature
Coatings that reflect heat can make the air feel warmer for people standing on and around these surfaces.
Arizona Native Community Launches First Solar-Over-Canal Project
Covering an irrigation canal with solar panels doubles its utility, producing renewable energy while protecting canal infrastructure and reducing water evaporation.
When ‘Prioritizing All Modes’ Is a Lie
In many cases, it’s impossible to prioritize the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users without sacrificing some speed.
Property Taxes Cuts on the Ballot in at Least Eight States
From completely eliminating property tax to creating new exemptions, voters in eight states across the country will cast their votes on a variety of ballot measures that could have major implications for local budgets.
Phoenix Launches Hybrid Bus Fleet
The city aims to have a zero-emissions transit fleet by 2040.
Addressing the Perils of Extreme Heat
With this year bringing on more record heat waves, governments at the local and federal levels are elevating extreme heat management as an urgent priority.
Tucson Keeps Buses Fare-Free
The city is doubling down on its efforts to boost bus ridership as part of its climate action plan.
Cities, States Use AI and GIS to Make Permitting Less of a Pain
Across the country, state and local governments have turned to AI to optimize their building permitting processes. The efficiencies they’ve achieved are impressive and welcomed by applicants and government agencies alike.
Controversial Blight Ordinance in Gilbert, Arizona, Zeroes in on Backyards
Local officials in Gilbert, Arizona, say a new town ordinance that will fine homeowners for unsightly debris in their backyards is about fighting blight; critics say it’s a violation of their Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.
Phoenix Nonprofit Offers Medical Services to Unhoused Residents
The mobile medical units are administering IV fluids and treating heat-related illnesses as extreme heat blankets the Southwest.
Phoenix Seeks to Adopt AI for City and Regional Planning
An extension of the Phoenix metro region’s half-cent transportation sales tax by voters this November would give the city a green flag, and funding, to expand its use of AI as a planning tool.
Top 5 US Cities for Office-to-Residential Conversions
As more and more cities look to adapt vacant office buildings into homes, a new analysis from Urban Institute says some cities will benefit more than others.
Phoenix Heat Deaths Rose by 1,000 Percent in 10 Years
The last decade saw a lethal combination of higher temperatures, rapid population growth, and rising eviction rates.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
