United States

Black woman in brown sweatershirt and Black man in purple sweatshirt stand in front of food truck.

Black Urban Planners Are Redesigning Communities to Help People of African Descent Thrive

Changing the legacy of racist planning policies requires a creative vision, practical solutions, and centering of the Black experience.

February 2, 2024 - Word In Black

Close-up of sign on chain link fence "City of Flint Water Plant" with hours.

EPA Drops More Civil Rights Investigations

A lawsuit that halted an investigation in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ is having a chilling impact on other environmental justice cases.

February 2, 2024 - Word In Black

Aerial view of Newwark, New Jersey at sunset with river in foreground.

Newark Holds First Round of Lottery for $1 Houses

A program aimed at boosting local homeownership offers city residents entry into a lottery to purchase city-owned properties for $1.

February 2, 2024 - ABC7 Eyewitness News

Close-up of colorful zoning map of unidentified city.

How a National Zoning Atlas Can Clarify a Legal Patchwork

A massive effort is underway to compile local zoning regulations and other laws that impact how and where housing is built.

February 1, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Nebraska capitol building against a blue sky

Nebraska Considers State Zoning to Increase Housing Density

The bills would require cities to adopt zoning regulations to allow duplexes and ADUs.

February 1, 2024 - Unicameral Update

55 miles per hour speed limit sign.

A Long-Lost Federal Speed Limit Rule Would Save Thousands of Lives

After the federal government set maximum highway speed limits at 55 miles per hour, states spent decades undermining the rule.

February 1, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Three-story modern suburban office building.

Revitalizing Suburban Office Space

Suburban office buildings are also losing tenants, but face some unique challenges compared to their urban counterparts.

February 1, 2024 - Governing

Alley with outdoor dining patios in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.

Walkability Report Ranks NYC #1; Others May Surprise You

More surprising entries on the list include Houston and Los Angeles.

February 1, 2024 - Spectrum News 1

Red and white "For Sale" sign in front yard of suburban house.

Report: Just 7 Percent of Homes for Sale Affordable to Black Households

The affordability crisis continues to impact American households across the board, with 16 percent of listings affordable to the average household.

January 31, 2024 - Yahoo Finance

San Francisco, California

Climate Change Concerns Rising Among Americans

More Americans than ever agree climate change is happening—but fewer agree on what to do about it.

January 30, 2024 - NBC News

Graphic for The Planning Commission Podcast episode with photo of Dan Burden in safety vest speaking to crowd.

I Want to Ride My Bicycle: Exploring the Career of the Legendary Dan Burden

Dan Burden joins The Planning Commission Podcast for a look back on his career, his accomplishments, and what's next for The Johnny Appleseed of Walkability.

January 30, 2024 - The Planning Commission Podcast

Aerial view of coastal Oregon town.

NOAA Releases High-Resolution Coastal Data

The new data can help communities identify risks and assess potential land use impacts in coastal areas.

January 29, 2024 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

'For sale' sign with 'Sold' update in front of large single-family home with family of three walking toward house.

How the Housing Market is Driving Millennials to Exurbs

As they age and form families, millennials find it increasingly difficult to afford housing in urban areas.

January 29, 2024 - Strong Towns

Orange "Apartments Leasing" sandwich board sign on sidewalk with arrow pointing right.

Report: Half of U.S. Renters Are Cost-Burdened

A record number of renter households struggle to afford housing costs.

January 29, 2024 - NPR

Corner store in San Francisco

How to Participate in Post-Pandemic Urban Resilience

In a summary of a recent talk, Chuck Wolfe provides five tools to help reimagine post-pandemic urban spaces with a focus on livability and co-creation.

January 29, 2024 - Medium

Solar panels in a green field

What Happens to Defunct Solar Plants?

In most states, solar companies are required to provide an end-to-end plan for solar power installations.

January 29, 2024 - Inside Climate News

Sign with icons indicating access to multiple transportation modes in Le Havre, France

Transportation Access Is a Public Health Issue

An expert discusses the public health implications of the CDC’s new finding that 5.7 percent of Americans face unreliable transportation.

January 28, 2024 - Medical Xpress

Low close-up of front of large parked pick-up truck.

Study Zeroes in on Dangers of Taller Vehicles

Taller hoods are a major contributor to crashes that kill pedestrians.

January 26, 2024 - Wired

Smoke coming out of stack at petrochemical plant in Louisiana.

Judge Halts EPA Action in ‘Cancer Alley’ Civil Rights Case

EPA investigations into violations of the Civil Rights Act in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” were ruled as “federal overreach.”

January 26, 2024 - Common Dreams

Woman waiting at city bus stop with blue bus pulling up.

Opinion: Free Transit Has Proven Itself

Eliminating transit fares can have benefits that ripple across a local economy and improve livelihoods.

January 25, 2024 - Gazette Leader

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.