Land Use

Homeless at the Mall

A reporter goes undercover as a homeless person to find out what happens when the indigent pay a visit to L.A.'s first corporate-controlled public park.

October 24, 2008 - LA Weekly

Nancy Pelosi, Symbol of the West

The myth of the American West as a wild, natural place is long gone, says urban studies professor Carl Abbott. The Western U.S. is actually the most urban part of the nation.

October 24, 2008 - The Hartford Courant

The Homeless in Public Spaces

Robert Sibley comments on the worldwide problem of homeless people in public spaces, and reflects on how Canadians can and should manage them.

October 23, 2008 - The Ottowa Citizen

Rebuilding Underway in Sichuan Province

A California-based architecture firm has been selected by a Sichuan planning department to rebuild the city of Dujiangyan after the deadly earthquake in the province earlier this year.

October 23, 2008 - Architectural Record

Curing Urbanitis – the Metropolitan Disease

The problems of today's inner cities and the problems of the suburbs are inextricably linked, says William E. Finley, author of Curing Urbanitis.

October 23, 2008 - William E. Finley

The Experts' Picks for Prettiest Towns in America

Travel writers, photographers, and an urban designer selected by Forbes have named the 20 prettiest towns in America; their varied definitions of "prettiness" are reflected in their choices.

October 22, 2008 - Forbes Traveler

Legislations Rewards Affordable Housing with Parks

A new piece of legislation rewards local governments in California that build affordable housing with money to build and maintain parks.

October 22, 2008 - Marketwatch

Preserving Land to Save Money

Voters in suburban Minnesota will vote on whether to invest $10 million to preserve a closed golf course. Or they could save the $10 million and allow a developer to build houses. But many say it will be cheaper in the long term to buy now.

October 22, 2008 - Minnesota Public Radio

Land Use Reform Tops China Agenda

China's government has announced major changes in property rights for farmers, giving them the ability to 'lease, exchange, or swap' their plots.

October 21, 2008 - The New York Times

Report from the Congress For European Urbanism

Faith Cable reports on the CEU's 3rd annual conference, held in Oslo, Norway, which addressed cities and their ability to address climate change through urban design.

October 19, 2008 - WorldChanging

Want Smart Growth? Break Out the Carrots and Sticks

To paraphrase B.F. Skinner, if you want positive behavior, either reward it in return, or remove something unpleasant in response; to paraphrase R. Steuteville's commentary, if we want a green economy, we need to do the same thing with development.

October 18, 2008 - New Urban News

ARB Climate Change Plan Criticized By Both Sides

The CA Air Resources Board unveiled its final ‘scoping plan’ to meet the climate change targets set in the landmark 2006 law, AB 32. Business groups condemned it for its costs while land use planners criticized it for not doing more to curb sprawl.

October 17, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

Affordable Housing Needs Affordable Land

Witold Rybzynski details the vicious cycle behind the nation's shortage of affordable housing.

October 16, 2008 - The Wilson Quarterly

D.C. Ponders Density

Washington, D.C. is almost out of space, and planners are now considering building upward to combat sprawl.

October 16, 2008 - The Seattle Times

Ideas to Outmode the Strip Mall

In a contest sponsored by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, architecture firms nationwide competed to show off how they would best use land currently devoted to strip malls. Bustler provides the winning entries.

October 16, 2008 - Bustler

Candidates Must Appeal to Cities, Suburbs

Tonight's presidential debate is the candidates' last chance to address respective suburban and urban issues.

October 15, 2008 - The New York Times

Urban Planners, Butt Out!

The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.

October 15, 2008 - Toronto Star

Creating A More Wildlife-Friendly Interstate

Roads are to blame for interfering with and "boxing in" various animals' migratory patterns, sending ecologists on the hunt for new solutions to get wildlife moving.

October 15, 2008 - The New York Times

Branding Sustainability

Las Vegas' Union Park is a LEED-certified development that sits on a revitalized brownfield, but with no shortage of Vegas' glitz. Can smart growth be as marketable as it is environmentally good?

October 14, 2008 - Next American City

Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban

One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.

October 14, 2008 - New Geography

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.