History / Preservation
Redevelopment Threatens Iconic, Affordable Chicago Homes
The ‘workers’ cottages’ are being replaced with larger, more expensive homes, threatening one of the city’s original forms of affordable housing.
What's in a Park Name?
Many parks across the country are named to honor prominent people. Here are a few examples in Los Angeles with interesting histories and stories.
Philadelphia Leads the Way in Adaptive Reuse
Philadelphia, a city rife with historic architecture, seeks to incentivize more conversion of historic buildings into housing.
Thousands of Affordable Homes Threatened as 30-Year LIHTC Restrictions Expire
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has helped create more than 3 million affordable housing units across the country. But if something isn’t done soon, thousands of those homes could be lost forever as affordability periods expire.
America's Most Popular National Park Could Start Charging for Parking
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited and one of only a handful with no admission fee, could institute a parking fee to pay for much-needed maintenance.
The Radical Architecture of Kyiv
Five Ukrainian urbanists discuss the buildings, parks, and neighborhoods that make Kyiv unique.
Robert Moses Takes to the Stage in 'Straight Line Crazy,' Starring Ralph Fiennes
The popular fascination with Robert Moses, "master builder of New York" and one of the most prominent figures in planning history, continues.
How Rent Control Helped Create East Palo Alto
The story of East Palo Alto’s incorporation is one marked by great contention among local stakeholders, but also provides valuable lessons for organizers in forging and mobilizing local coalitions.
Sanctioning Russian Energy Exports
European leaders chose not to join the U.S. in an embargo of Russian energy products largely because of dependence on natural gas. Similarly, the world needs the 11% of crude oil that Russia exports. What can the U.S. do to lessen this dependence?
Another Silicon Valley Town Tries To Sidestep State Density Law
Palo Alto could designate more than one hundred properties as historic in an attempt to prevent lot splitting permitted under a new state law designed to lightly increase residential density.
UC Berkeley Commits to Supportive Housing Project in People's Park
The university will work with the city and local nonprofits to provide 42 units of housing and supportive services to unhoused people living in Berkeley's iconic People's Park.
U.C. Berkeley To Reduce Enrollment by Thousands, Court Decides
The California Supreme Court ruled against the university in a battle over a proposed enrollment cap, forcing the school to reject thousands of potential new students.
Equitable Development Plan Aims To Protect Philly's Chinatown
As the historic neighborhood experiences increased redevelopment around the new Rail Park, community activists are working to ensure older residents and businesses aren't displaced in the process.
How Cities Are Resisting State Efforts To Increase Density
Cities are attempting to wrest back local control over land use and zoning via some ingenious—and sometimes disingenuous—strategies.
The Pandemic Era
"We are living in the Covid-19 era, not the Covid-19 crisis," Allan Brandt, a historian of science and medicine at Harvard University, told Gina Kolata of the New York Times last October in a review of past pandemics and what we can learn from them.
What Mistaken Urban Design Assumptions Can Teach Us
When writing city plans, past planners in San Francisco got some things just right—and some very wrong.
Atlanta Will Be First City to Memorialize Convict Labor
Two monuments coming to Atlanta reckon with the city's history of using incarcerated laborers.
Opinion: New Construction Is Safer, Better for the Environment
The emotional attachment to old homes can obscure the benefits of new buildings, which consume less energy and provide more amenities for residents.
San Francisco's 1971 Urban Design Plan Echoes Today's Concerns
A 1971 effort to quantify the city's values and design goals reflects many of the same priorities that planners and residents face today.
Opinion: Oversized Mansions Are Harming Maryland Neighborhoods
'Mega-mansions' are rapidly replacing smaller single-family homes, pushing Maryland residents out of its formerly affordable suburbs.
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
