Environment
California Approves $10 Billion Bond for Water, Clean Energy, and Environmental Projects
Funds will be used to support water, wildfire prevention, environmental, and park projects, reflecting strong public support for climate resilience.
Quantifying How Urban Trees Cool Cities
A new tool can help cities understand the benefits of tree planting efforts at the municipal scale.
Research Shows White Communities Gain Affluence After Climate Disasters
People of color and lower-income residents tend to lose wealth despite the stated goals of federal assistance programs to restore communities impacted by disasters.
How Social Media Is Influencing Our Interactions with Public Lands
Getting the perfect online photo is drawing more people into nature. Land managers are trying to mitigate risks and damage to wild places.
Branching Out: Building Health and Equity Through Community Forestry
Los Angeles County’s Community Forest Management Plan seeks to create a healthier, more equitable community forest by expanding tree coverage, engaging communities, and building resilience to climate impacts.
Seoul’s Urban Parks Blossom with Books
The Reading in Seoul Garden event invited residents to enjoy free reading and relaxation activities, including digital and live programs, in scenic parks, fostering a sense of community amid the city’s autumn landscapes.
Where 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on 12 Issues Important to Urban Planners
Whether you’re yet undecided or have already cast your early vote, here is a roundup of the key positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on important urban planning policies.
Southern California City Offers Buyout to Homeowners Facing Erosion Threat
Power and gas were shut off to dozens of homes in Rancho Palos Verdes as landslides threatened homes and infrastructure. Now, the city is offering to buy the homes to help residents relocate.
More States Push Back on BLM’s Conservation Rule
Twelve states and industry groups are supporting Utah’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management, arguing the agency can’t bar extractive uses on ‘unappropriated’ public lands.
Future of Justice40 Initiative Hinges on Election
The program requires that 40 percent of some federal funds be used to benefit historically disadvantaged communities.
SCOTUS Hamstrings Federal Agencies, a Blow to Housing and Health Equity
The Supreme Court has overturned the legal precedent Chevron deference. Without the authority to interpret ambiguities in regulations, the critical work of HHS and HUD could suffer.
Research Shows Cool Pavement Coatings Can Raise Ambient Temperature
Coatings that reflect heat can make the air feel warmer for people standing on and around these surfaces.
LA’s ‘Car-Free’ Olympic Dream Is in Danger
Can the city fund its ambitious plans to build over $3 billion of public transit and sustainable transportation projects before the 2028 Olympic Games?
America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities
A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.
How LA County Parks are Fostering Equity
Los Angeles County's Department of Parks and Recreation actively engages the public through diverse methods to ensure parks and recreation programming align with community needs and priorities.
L.A. County’s New Climate Resilience Officer
As the CRO, Matthew Gonser is focused on tackling extreme heat, flooding, and wildfires while engaging the community and implementing systemic changes to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Rising Insurance Rates Squeezing Affordable Housing Developers
Spiking insurance costs in coastal areas prone to climate disasters are making it harder for low-income housing developers to keep building.
Not a Walk in the Park: What It Really Takes to Build Green Spaces
Park creation can take decades of perseverance to overcome financial, regulatory, and social hurdles, but the end result for the local community is more than worth it.
Harnessing GIS and Fire for Longleaf Pine Conservation
Scientists in Florida are using GIS technology to strategically manage prescribed burns, aiding in the restoration and biodiversity of longleaf pine ecosystems while enhancing climate resilience across the Southeast.
Urban Trees Have Bigger Impact in Hot, Dry Cities
The cooling effect of robust urban tree canopies is more pronounced in hotter, drier cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
