Florida

The mangled remains of a residential tower after it collapsed in Florida.

Miami Herald: Collapsed Florida Residential Building Had Major Defects, Violated Code

The safety of Champlain Towers South was compromised to make more room for parking, according to an investigation by the Miami Herald in consultation with four engineers and a general contractor.

August 11, 2021 - Miami Herald

Bike Lane

How 'Bicycle Friendly' is Gainesville?

Despite a recent designation from the League of American Bicyclists, one writer argues that the city's infrastructure is failing to protect pedestrians and cyclists from dangerous car traffic.

August 3, 2021 - The Gainesville Sun

Empty Homes

Defining the 'Community' in Community Land Trusts

As community land trusts take root and expand, they face numerous questions on how to stay communally-focused while their geographic scope grows.

July 28, 2021 - Shelterforce

Cruise Ship

Coronavirus Litigation: CDC Loses Ability to Regulate Cruise Industry in Win for Florida Governor

In a stunning reversal, a federal appeals court panel on July 23 reversed its ruling issued six days earlier in favor of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after Gov. Ron DeSantis appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court.

July 27, 2021 - Reuters

View (from the eastern end of 87th Terrace) of the Champlain Towers South apartment building, which partially collapsed in 2021.

D.C. Adds New Safety Requirement in Wake of Recent Collapses

A series of incidents including the fatal collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida have prompted the District to implement safety enhancements to its building safety review.

July 16, 2021 - DCist

Coastal City

Surfside Collapse Highlights Florida's 'Unique Vulnerabilities'

A coastal geologist urges state leaders and residents to start planning for 'managed retreat' away from the coastal communities most vulnerable to sea level rise.

July 12, 2021 - Grist

Loking down Flagler Street, Downtown Miami, Florida

Miami Funds Protected Bike Lanes With E-Scooter Fees

The city, which has some of the nation's most dangerous streets for pedestrians and cyclists, is installing 3 miles of new bike lanes and pedestrian ramps on some of its busiest downtown corridors.

June 18, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

Tidal flooding at Brickell Bay Drive and 12 Street, Downtown Miami

Miami Residents Resist the Idea of a 20-Foot Seawall

As climate change accelerates sea level rise and flooding in South Florida, locals hope to mitigate the impacts with less dramatic interventions.

June 11, 2021 - New York Times

Mass Vaccination

Coronavirus Litigation: Can Employers Require Employee Vaccinations?

The plaintiffs in one of the nation's first court cases over employer-required COVID vaccinations are among the heroes of the pandemic—nurses fighting to remain unvaccinated. Houston Methodist Hospital suspended unvaccinated employees on June 6.

June 10, 2021 - JD Supra

HUD

Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities

A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.

June 2, 2021 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Social Distancing

Returning to the Office: Will Vaccinations Be Required?

A survey by Kaiser Health News of 15 of America's largest companies found that none are considering vaccine mandates, but most offer employee incentives. Mandates may be more of consideration after the FDA approves the vaccines.

May 27, 2021 - Kaiser Health News

Los Angeles, California

Two Demographic Firsts, Both Losses, for California

The nation's most populous state learned from the Census Bureau last month that it would lose a congressional district for the first time in its history. On Friday, it revealed that 2020 was the first year since 1850 to experience a population loss.

May 10, 2021 - CALmatters

Florida Pedestrians

Earn Rewards for Traveling for by Foot, Bike, Bus, or Train

The city of Orlando is partnering with the Miles app.

May 9, 2021 - Orlando Weekly

Florida Roads

Florida Highway Project Faces Opposition From All Sides

Critics worry the proposed 330-mile corridor would encourage sprawl, harm wildlife, and saddle the state with decades of debt.

May 2, 2021 - Grist

Pandemic Public Health

CDC to Gov. Whitmer: Time to Shut Down, Not Surge Vaccines

Michigan is on fire—a coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly among younger people, including children, yet high-risk activities, including youth sports and indoor dining, remain open. CDC Director Walensky addressed the conflagration Monday.

April 14, 2021 - The New York Times

Ocean Drive Open Streets

Miami Mayor Wants Federal Funding for Boring Company Tunnel

Mayor Francis Suarez thinks the tunnel could alleviate congestion, but critics argue the city's rising water table makes tunneling too expensive and impractical.

March 28, 2021 - Bloomberg Quint

Florida

Case Study: Florida Road Diet Reduces Crashes, Adds Minimal Congestion

A controversial road diet has faced disapproval from local business owners, but data shows a significant reduction in crashes and a minimal increase in congestion.

March 23, 2021 - WFLA

Orlando Street

Pedestrian Activity Increased Most Outside of Cities in 2020

The locations with the largest increases of pedestrian activity during the pandemic year are all in Florida.

March 22, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

Construction

Lessons to Guide Future Equitable Development Planning

How did recent projects in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and South Florida fare?

March 16, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

West Palm Beach, Florida

Deadline for Brightline Plan Comes With Strings Attached

Officials from Brightline recently signed an agreement that dictates terms for the study of an extension of the private rail system between Orlando and Tampa.

March 10, 2021 - Orlando Sentinel

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.

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Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.