Virginia
D.C. Region Sets Goal to Reduce GHG Emissions From Transportation 50% by 2030
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the D.C. region—and the rest of the country. The D.C. region is committing to drastic actions to change their ways, however.
The Success Story of Alexandria’s Free Buses
Thanks to state and regional funding, the city eliminated fares while making service improvements.
Depave Paradise: Reclaiming Parking Lots for Park Space
The promoters of a new park hope to provide a model for how replacing surface parking lots with green space can mitigate urban heat and boost urban biodiversity.
Mapping Richmond’s Displaced Communities
A new project catalogs the city’s history of displacement and its impact on communities of color.
Washington Commanders Looking to the Periphery for a New Place to Play
The suburbanization of the National Football League continues.
Zoning Reform Gains Momentum in Northern Virginia
Arlington County and Alexandria are moving forward with actions that could potentially launch a new era of planning and development in their respective communities.
Fairfax County, Virginia Releases Climate Adaptation Plan
Fairfax County, Virginia estimates that climate change caused $25 million in damages from 2010 to 2019. A new plan is meant to prevent worse losses in the years and decades to come.
How a Staircase Requirement Can Impact Housing Affordability
Critics of the double-staircase mandate for multi-story buildings argue that it does little to improve fire safety while raising the costs of housing construction and limiting community interaction.
The New Normal: Less Transit, More Congestion
With transit systems still far below historic levels, and congestion not budging, the worst effects of an automobile dependent nation fall on the environment and low-income households.
States Have the Power To Regulate Autonomous Vehicles—But Most Don’t
States tend to default to national standards for regulating AVs, but federal officials have been slow to implement rules directed specifically at autonomous vehicles.
Report: Northern Virginia Transportation Plans Will Induce More Driving
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority’s plans to widen and expand the region’s highways will lead to a sharp increase in vehicle miles driven, a new study shows.
Amazon’s Housing Initiative Does Little for Low-Income Workers
Of the thousands of units Amazon has secured as part of its pledge to create affordable housing near its new headquarters, just over 200 are reserved for the lowest-income renters.
Concerns Mount as Pandemic Eviction Protections Expire
With eviction protections in Virginia set to expire at the end of June, advocates warn that an “eviction tsunami” could still sweep up the state’s renters.
Car Commutes and Congestion Are Back in D.C.
Low transit ridership and a more dispersed daytime workforce are creating new headaches for car commuters in the D.C. area—in a story likely to be repeated all over the country as work returns to the office.
Prince William County Upzoning Plan Causes Concern Among Rural Residents
Local officials want to ease concerns about a proposal to increase density in rural parts of Northern Virginia.
Democrats Balk at Gov. Newsom's Gas Tax Holiday
Saving motorists 3 cents a gallon may be a slam dunk for Republican leaders in the California legislature who opposed hiking the gas tax in the first place, but Democratic leaders are reluctant to tamper with a hard-fought legislative and ballot win.
Virginia Law Granting Local Authority for Energy Efficiency Rejected Due to Housing Affordability Concerns
The state preemption pendulum swings again—this time in favor of state preemption of energy efficiency standards in Virginia.
Arlington County Authorizes Speed Cameras
The Arlington County board approved a program that will install traffic cameras in an effort to protect pedestrians and reduce police interactions.
How to Transform the Humble Strip Mall
One Northern Virginia shopping center illustrates how the auto-centric strip mall can be repurposed to better serve its community.
New GOP Governor's Anti-Climate Agenda Takes Shape in Virginia
New Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin made promises on the campaign trail to reverse the state's commitment to climate reductions.
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
