Government / Politics

Smart City

Pulling Back the Curtain on the Smart City

Technology is infiltrating every aspect of our lives, but, according to this article, we shouldn't underestimate the nefarious role it plays in urban spaces.

November 22, 2019 - Real Life

The Transit Agency formerly known as the Nashville MTA

Nashville Loses Out on Federal Transit Grant, Adding to Agency's Budget Woes

WeGo Public Transit did not receive a grant to build a transit center, and transit advocates say it’s a sobering setback in light of the agency’s other budget challenges.

November 22, 2019 - News Channel 5 Nashville

Huandao Road

China's Global Power Play

China's Belt and Road Initiative, a massive program to develop infrastructure in dozens of countries worldwide, may be the largest construction project in history. Its benefits to host countries—and to China itself—remain far from certain.

November 22, 2019 - The Architect's Newspaper

Capitol

Friday Funny: A Font Made From the Maps of Congressional Districts

Meet the Ugly Gerry font.

November 22, 2019 - The Week

Mobility App

Mobility as a Service Technology Will Not Solve the Country's Transportation Problems

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) relies on technology to streamline transportation and improve access. But apps are not going to be enough for people to leave their cars behind.

November 21, 2019 - CityLab

Compost Field

Human Waste as a Climate Solution

Using treated waste as an agricultural fertilizer is controversial, but the practice has several climate-related benefits.

November 21, 2019 - Yale Climate Connections

Related California

Seasoned Developer Opines on California’s Housing Crisis

Bill Witte, CEO and chairman of Related California, discusses how state and local governments ought to respond to the state’s challenges with housing affordability, growth in homelessness, and 'missing middle' housing supply.

November 21, 2019 - The Planning Report

Beijing Traffic

Cities Have Tried to Rein in Cars, and the Results Have Been Mixed

Vehicle pollution is making cities around the world unlivable. Some cities have taken steps to curb auto use and emissions, with varying levels of success.

November 20, 2019 - The New York Times

Silo-Breaking Sustainability or Real-Life Lorax: L.A.’s First City Forest Officer

The city of L.A.’s first city forest officer, Rachel Malarich, opines on her new role in facilitating cooperation between the city’s departments to achieve a more equitable urban canopy.

November 20, 2019 - VerdeXchange News

Street Vendor

Street Vending Makes Public Spaces Better. Stop Criminalizing It.

While recent crackdowns on street vending suggest it is a problem to be fixed, the reality is that street vendors energize urban spaces and make them more accessible for everyone.

November 20, 2019 - Curbed

Protected Bike Lane

Nation's Top Safety Board Recommends Protected Bike Lanes

The NTSB chair issued a stark warning on Nov. 5: "If we do not improve roadway infrastructure for bicyclists, bicyclists will die who otherwise would not," stated Robert Sumwalt in introducing their first report in 47 years devoted to bike safety.

November 19, 2019 - National Transportation Safety Board

Rep. Earl Blumanauer

Oregon Congressman Takes on Federal Housing Policy

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) offers perspective on the U.S. housing crisis, the scale and complexity of which he argues demands affirmative federal action.

November 19, 2019 - The Planning Report

New Hampshire

To Reduce Carbon Emissions, Focus on Existing Buildings

Architects are uniquely positioned to reduce global warming, argues the CEO of Urban Green Council—but first they need to rethink their role.

November 18, 2019 - The Architectural League of New York

Berkeley People on Bikes

Berkeley to Explore 'Idaho Stop' Policy for People on Bikes

Berkeley could decide to deprioritize enforcement of people on bikes who treat stop signs as yield signs when the intersection is free of traffic.

November 18, 2019 - Berkeleyside

Outgoing City Councilmember Suggests Zoning Overhaul in Philadelphia

Land use was a deciding factor in May when long-time Philadelphia City Councilmember Jannie Blackwell lost in a May primary election. Now, in a final month in office, Blackwell proposes the changes that some community members were waiting for.

November 18, 2019 - WHYY

California

Op-Ed: Housing Could Have Fared Better in San Francisco Election

This month's election yielded mixed results on housing. The pros: a solid victory for pro-housing Mayor London Breed and two affordable housing measures. The con: likely more anti-housing sentiment on the Board of Supervisors.

November 17, 2019 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Butte County, California

California Town Looks to Rebuild After Wildfire, but No Clear Path Forward

Paradise, California, burned to the ground last year, and the town’s recovery has begun. But questions remain about the measures that should be put into place to prevent another disaster.

November 15, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

West Palm Beach, Florida

Opportunity Zone: A Superyacht Marina, Adjacent Luxury Apartment Development

The federal government's Opportunity Zones program is offering a tax break to a marina for superyachts and adjacent planned development in West Palm Beach, Florida.

November 15, 2019 - ProPublica

Protest

APA Opposes Withdrawal From the Paris Climate Agreement

The American Planning Association is urging the Trump administration to rescind its decision to withdraw the country from the Paris Climate Agreement.

November 15, 2019 - American Planning Association

North High Street

Curbside Management to Tame Roadway Chaos

A pilot program in Columbus, Ohio, will help bring order to the city’s curbside space, a response to a mobility network that has become more complicated and crowded.

November 14, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

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.