United States

View up at US Department of Housing and Urban Development building in Washington, D.C.

National Housing Group Criticizes Executive Orders

The National Low Income Housing Coalition issued a statement charging that Trump’s executive orders would worsen the housing crisis.

January 27, 2025 - National Low Income Housing Coalition

View of trainsin Hundson Yards and New York City skyline.

Can We Resist Displacement From Transit-Oriented Development?

Transit stations increase nearby jobs and populations, but they could also contribute to displacement. What can we do differently?

January 26, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Close-up of blue For Sale sign in front of house.

National Survey Shows ‘Severe, Widespread, and Worsening’ Housing Crisis

Mayors from around the country agree that more support is needed at the federal level to strengthen housing assistance programs.

January 26, 2025 - U.S. Conference of Mayors

Tall power line towers with blurred city lights in background.

How Microgrids Can Boost Community Resilience

Localized power grids, sometimes sourced from renewable sources, can make energy systems more resilient and reliable.

January 24, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Aerial view of Klyde Warren deck park on freeway cap in downtown Dallas, Texas.

I Help Plan Cap Parks; Here’s What Austin Can Learn from Other Cities

How freeway capping projects can literally and metaphorically bridge urban divides.

January 24, 2025 - Dan Biederman

Aerial view of Macarthur Park lake with downtown Los Angeles skyline in background.

What Has Measure ULA Achieved?

Los Angeles has imposed an additional tax on luxury home sales to generate millions for housing efforts in the city. Shelterforce checks in on where the money has gone, and what’s to come.

January 23, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Technician in orange vest and white hard hat standing in field with row of wind turbines.

Executive Order Pauses Infrastructure, Clean Energy Funds

Trump’s order puts a freeze on unspent funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

January 23, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Smoky sky overlooking Los Angeles skyline during 2025 wildfires.

While California Fires Burn On, Residents Take on Rent Gouging

Residents have already seen online listings skyrocketing in price—despite laws against such hikes. With fires still raging, LA and Pasadena tenants are demanding protections against rent raises and eviction.

January 22, 2025 - Shelterforce Magazine

Silver oil pipeline running above ground in snowy area near Fairbanks, Alaska.

Trump Attacks Environmental Rules Amid Flurry of Executive Orders

Several executive orders signed on Monday seek to repeal Obama- and Biden-era environmental regulations and roll back goals to encourage the shift to electric vehicles.

January 22, 2025 - The New York Times

Professional cleaners wearing medical masks and gloves cleaning desks in large empty office.

The Ripple Effects of Remote Work

The number of Americans who work from home rose sharply during the pandemic and remains high, posing important questions about the future of transportation and housing.

January 21, 2025 - Bloomberg CityLab

Close-up of person holding hand-written "Affordable Homes Now!" sign.

America’s Housing Crisis: Lessons Ignored and Challenges Ahead

A recent study reveals how decades of policy missteps, demographic shifts, and economic forces fueled America’s housing crisis, leaving millions — especially millennials — struggling amid rising demand, racial disparities, and climate-driven emergencies.

January 19, 2025 - USC Today

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

Black bollards lining a curved sidewalk next to a cobblestone street.

Why Aren’t There More Bollards in US Cities?

Solid barriers, like the dormant ones in New Orleans, are commonly used to improve road safety in Europe. Why not here?

January 17, 2025 - MinnPost

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Learning From Wildfire Evacuations

Researchers are working to understand how people behave during wildfire events and how to most effectively get people to safety during deadly fires.

January 16, 2025 - Wired

Empty large outdoor parking lot with green trees in background.

Parking Reform Yields New Housing

As more cities eliminate or reduce their minimum parking requirements, the impact on housing supply is coming into focus.

January 16, 2025 - The New York Times

Abandoned school building with brick smokestack in winter.

Repurposing Vacant Schools

Some communities are turning abandoned campuses into offices, art studios, and housing.

January 16, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Low angle of pedestrians and a bicycle crossing the street at an urban crosswalk.

USDOT Announces First Round of 2025 RAISE Grants

The agency awarded $1.32 billion in funds to transportation infrastructure projects aimed at road safety and mobility.

January 16, 2025 - Transportation Today News

Workers assembling a modular housing unit.

Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns

Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.

January 15, 2025 - Marketplace

Close-up of "Residential Quiet Zone" sign.

Noise as a Public Health Hazard

New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.

January 15, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Nighttime view of wildfire in Los Angeles hills.

'Place Shock' and the Ecology of Fear

How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?

January 15, 2025 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

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.