Social / Demographics

Los Angeles

Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.

If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.

January 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: Chicago Intentionally Forces Out Black Residents

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy made waves when he said the rapidly shrinking population of African Americans was the intended result of the city's policy. An op-ed in the Chicago Reader agrees.

January 22, 2018 - The Chicago Reader

Houston Light Rail

Two Studies Show How Light Rail Benefits Houston

Finally, the city seems to be reaping benefits from a major investment in public transportation.

January 21, 2018 - The Urban Edge

Chicago Public Housing

'Renewing Inequality': Mapping the Scars of Urban Renewal

A new interactive maps brings a visual reality to the scale of displacement effected by urban renewal of the 1950s and 1960s.

January 20, 2018 - Chicago Magazine

Hells Kitchen Sidewalk New York City

Falling Crime Rates Have Changed American Cities

The drop in crime in cities has extended American life expectancies, especially those of black men, and brought more wealthy people into urban areas.

January 18, 2018 - The New York Times

Brooklyn Brownstones

The Perpetuation of Segregation

A new book describes segregation as a cycle of social structuring: segregation begets segregation.

January 16, 2018 - Pacific Standard

Georgia

Mapping the World's Proximity to Urban Areas

When it's said that most people live in cities, a significant portion of that number are people living in suburbs near cities. A new map shows just how far everyone travels to get to a big city.

January 16, 2018 - My Modern Met

South Carolina Region Future City Competition

Middle Schoolers Plan the 'Future City'

The deliverables in the Future City competition—open to children in grades six through eight—include a virtual city design (using SimCity), a scale model, a project plan, and more.

January 15, 2018 - The Mercury News

'An Adult Day Care on Every Corner:' Aging in the Rio Grande Valley

In a region where most people “age in place,” facilities offering services and socialization give primary caregivers a much-needed break.

January 15, 2018 - The Texas Observer

Chicago Bikers

Wisconsin Ad Campaign Ridicules Illinois to Attract Millennials

A critique of the "Wisconsin: It's more you" ad campaign serves as a lesson for anyone who throws the word Millennial around like a magic talisman.

January 13, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

New York Subway

Regardless of Cost, New York Must Rehabilitate its Crown Jewel: the Subway

Depending on what's included, the cost to rebuild the ailing 665-mile system could be $111 billion, but the city's future depends on it. A feature-length New York Times Magazine piece looks at its history and suggests ways to finance rebuilding.

January 12, 2018 - The New York Times Magazine

Urban Infill

AIA: Demand for High-Density Development Is Down

For the first time in four years, a quarterly survey indicates “market saturation in urban areas.”

January 11, 2018 - Builder

City of Bridges

How's the Rust Belt Going to Make It?

Americans move less than they once did, meaning that struggling communities are home to a greater percentage of the country.

January 11, 2018 - The Washington Post

Hawaii

Hawaii Population in Rare Decline

The population of Hawaii fell in 2017 for only the third time since 1959. High housing costs are likely to blame.

January 10, 2018 - The Washington Post

Millennials in the Wild

Young Adults Aren't Fleeing Cities—Quite the Contrary

Joe Cortright presents the antidote to an emerging narrative about the shifting lifestyle preferences of young adults (i.e., Millennials).

January 8, 2018 - City Observatory

Naturalization

Furor Over Proposed Census Question on Citizenship

The 2010 Census included questions on race and Hispanic origin, but nothing like a question about citizenship status.

January 7, 2018 - ProPublica

Houston

A Look at Houston's Demographic Future

Using the Urban Institute's Mapping America's Futures tool, the Kinder Institute overviews likely racial demographics in Texas and elsewhere by 2030.

January 5, 2018 - The Urban Edge

Stockton Foreclosure

Distressed Suburbs Struggle to Recover From Decade-Old Recession

Located primarily in the western states, some suburbs were hit hard by the 2008 recession and still haven't recovered. Many have seen an influx of low-income residents and upticks in crime.

January 5, 2018 - The Atlantic

Tesla

Welcome to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station of the Future

But only if you drive a Tesla. Unlike a traditional "fill-up," charging an EV takes time—30 minutes for Tesla Superchargers—so Tesla provides an exclusive lounge for its customers at a new 40-Supercharger "rest stop" on I-5 in California.

January 5, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Columbia River Gorge Fire

How the West Got Bigger, Badder Fires

Two new books chronicle the origin of U.S. policy on wildfire, the damage that policy has done, and why it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

January 4, 2018 - The New York Times

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.