United States

A Planning Commission Podcast Journey: The 1,000 Joys of Planning
The Commissioners explore the facets of the planning profession that fill their cups with joy.

Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.

GAO: Reconnecting Communities Lacks Clear Goals and Metrics
The program, aimed at supporting highway removals and other projects that work to reverse the impacts of freeway construction, is light on accountability and performance measures, according to a new report.

‘Biourbanism’ Combines Nature and Data to Boost Resilience
The concept of biourbanism views cities as natural systems, but brings a data-driven approach to quantifying and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

How Small Cities Can Prepare for Extreme Heat
Without the resources of larger cities, towns with fewer resources can still work to coordinate efforts across agencies and plan for heat events early in the year.

Enforcing Housing Discrimination Laws Falls Largely on Tenants, Nonprofits
With few enforcement mechanisms even in cities that have bans on source-of-income discrimination on the books, it’s up to nonprofit lawyers and tenants to sue landlords for retribution.

An Equity Approach to Lead Pipe Replacement
A former Chicago health commissioner calls on governments to prioritize the most marginalized and historically disinvested communities when distributing funding to replace lead pipes, which have taken the highest toll on the health of disadvantaged c

Supreme Court Limits Clean Water Act’s Power
A recent ruling ‘dramatically’ restricts the law’s reach when it comes to protecting wetlands.

Key Points From the Tesla Data Leak
Thousands of leaked safety complaints about the electric carmaker reveal a pervasive effort to hide problems from the public and prevent customers from filing lawsuits.

Biden's Truck Pollution Rule Hanging by a Thread
Four House Democrats joined all but one Republican to enact the Congressional Review Act to roll back President Biden's rule on heavy truck pollution approved by the EPA last December. The Senate had earlier narrowly passed the joint resolution.

Can Pickleball Save Dying Malls?
The popular sport is getting backlash for taking over parks and other facilities. Now, the industry is partnering with mall developers to transform old department stores into pickleball courts.

Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws
‘Free’ employee parking increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.

Through the Eyes of a Journalist: Megan Kimble Reflects on Covering Food Systems, Zoning Changes, and Highway Projects in the Southwest
Kimble’s interest in topics related to urban planning spawned from research and writing about food systems in the borderlands of Arizona. She then moved to Austin in the midst of the city’s update of its Land Development Code.

The Limitations of ‘Reconnecting Communities’
The Biden administration has pledged to correct the damage imposed on communities by highways and infrastructure, but many projects are only committing to minor improvements, not transformative changes.

The Best New Complete Streets Policies, Ranked
After a pandemic hiatus, Smart Growth America has resumed creating an annual list of cities that are making the strongest commitments to improving street safety and making roads accessible and comfortable for everyone.

Opinion: It's Time to Destigmatize ‘Public Housing’
Upzoning efforts, while hugely controversial, often make only a small impact on housing supply, particularly in the short term. Could a return to government-built housing be the solution?

Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.

HUD Grants Support Housing and Infrastructure in Native Communities
The department announced $95 million in funding for housing renovations, infrastructure projects, and community facilities.

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.
Pagination
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service