North America
This Part of Spain Won Rent Regulations US Tenant Activists Can Only Dream of
In Spain, a new law makes rent control possible — and one region has implemented it. In Catalunya, a rent freeze and rental price index promise to help struggling tenants.
Vancouver City Council Eliminates Parking Mandates, Supports TOD
In a significant step for more diverse housing and transit-friendly development, the Vancouver City Council eliminated parking minimums and adopted a Transit-Oriented Areas (TOA) policy.
Reining in Rising Property Insurance Rates
There are many proposed ways to mitigate the property insurance cost crisis. They all require action from federal or state governments.
Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?
The Permanent Affordability That Wasn't: Lessons from the Pythian Building
A high-stakes, high-profile community land trust project once hailed as a triumph in New Orleans ended in disaster for its residents, but it’s important to draw the right lessons about why.
Traffic Engineer's Rap Takedown of His Profession
Transportation planner Buff Brown challenges common traffic engineering practices in a rap video which demonstrates how the Engineering Bingo Card of Excuses helps maintain the status quo of street design.
Is 'Hacking' a Planning Commission a Good Idea?
Does giving short shrift to grassroots tradition cut against the dynamics of community-based decision-making?
When Driving Isn't an Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency
Disability advocate Anna Zivarts' new book, “When Driving Isn't An Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency,” explores why and how transportation planning can better serve nondrivers to create a better quality of life for everyone.
Soaring Property Insurance Rates Threaten Affordable Housing Development
Rapidly rising insurance premiums are forcing affordable housing developers to cut back on programming, lay off staff, and even sell. To add insult to injury, some insurers also seem to be adding penalties or withdrawing coverage for housing voucher holders.
Considering Mindfulness as an Urban Planner's Tool
A recent blog post in Substack considers the appropriation of mindfulness to urban observation and, implicitly, urban planning today.
Promoting Cycling as Public Health Measure
An argument for better bike infrastructure from a healthcare perspective.
How Cities Still Fail People With Disabilities
Even when accessibility is taken into account, transit stations and pedestrian infrastructure often still fail to make appropriate accommodations.
Peak Car? Check Your Data
There is evidence that automobile travel is peaking while demand for non-auto modes is growing, but double-check your data sources to be sure.
Upzoning Affordability Impacts: The Latest Research
There are new controversies concerning how upzoning affects housing supply and affordability, and new research to help planners understand these issues.
Study: Office Conversions One-Third More Affordable Than New Housing
Where conditions are right for office-to-residential adaptive reuse, projects can be completed faster and at a significantly lower cost than new construction.
Could an ‘Urban Innovation Lab’ Spur Downtown Revitalization?
In his fifth article for GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe asks whether an onsite “living lab” could spur more entrepreneurship and impact downtown regeneration in Seattle.
The Materials Movement: Advancing Low-Carbon, Healthy Materials for Sustainable Communities
Every component of a building, from the concrete foundation to the paint on the walls, has an impact on human health, the climate, and ecosystems around the globe. Building materials—once overlooked in real estate’s sustainability efforts—are now bei
Revisiting ‘Third Places’ as a Pandemic Recovery Tool
In Chuck Wolfe's latest piece on downtown recovery for GeekWire, he proposes revisiting a multifaceted ‘third place’ agenda as a focus for downtown recovery.
Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.
Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws
‘Free’ employee parking increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.
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
