Social / Demographics

Burning Man

There Goes the Neighborhood: Oh No, Not Burning Man!

Ben Brown unpacks the components of polarization. Recognizing some people are really pissed off for some really good reasons doesn’t seem to help us make better decisions, whether we’re talking about electing a president or planning a park.

September 27, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Little Free Library

101 Small Actions With Big Effects in Cities

The Curbed team has compiled a laundry list of creative and effective ways for people to give some love to their cities.

September 26, 2016 - Curbed

Modular Housing for Homeless in San Francisco Hits Roadblocks

Lego-type housing construction has attracted the attention of two separate developers as an efficient means to provide housing for the city's large homeless population but has met objections from labor unions and the Mayor's Office.

September 22, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen's Workforce Housing Buckling Under Weight of Aging Population

As residents of Aspen, Colorado's limited supply of workforce housing begin to retire, they're staying put, creating a new affordable housing crunch for younger workers.

September 22, 2016 - Marketplace

Climate Change Protest

Climate Equity Agenda Key to Passage of California's Climate Legislation

Environmental advocacy is not enough. Environmental and social justice must play a role in California's legislative effort to battle climate change, opine two professors from UC Berkeley and USC in the San Francisco Chronicle.

September 21, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

St. Louis

St. Louis Leading Large Metros in Immigration

Of the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the country, St. Louis had the largest percentage increase in foreign-born immigrants between 2014 and 2015.

September 21, 2016 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Tech Shuttle

Tech Shuttles: The Bay Area's Seventh Largest Transportation Provider

A new survey has found that every day more than 800 tech buses are traveling on the region's roadways, carrying around 34,000 passengers daily

September 20, 2016 - San Francisco Business Times

A First Look at New Migration Data

The American Community Survey released new data on the who and where of migration.

September 19, 2016 - Medium

Before I die

Redefining Success for Younger Generations

A new book by Courtney Martin called "The New Better Off" examines the shift in values among younger generations.

September 19, 2016 - CityLab

Garcetti Expo Line

Surprising Ridership Data on Los Angeles Metro's New Expo Line Extension

The light rail extension opened May 20 and is already 70 percent toward meeting its 2030 ridership projection. According to a survey conducted in June by Metro, more than two-thirds of riders were new to the Expo Line.

September 19, 2016 - KPCC

Wall Street

U.S. Census Has Good News About Income and Poverty

Finally, some very, very good news: The U.S. Census released data that shows broad, big gains in household incomes.

September 15, 2016 - Vox

Immigration

Hispanic Population Growth and Dispersion Slowed Since 2007

A comprehensive study on Latino population growth in the U.S. has been released by Pew Research Center based on a study of 2007-2014 census data. Two factors are responsible for the slowing growth: reduced fertility and immigration rates.

September 12, 2016 - Pew Research Center

A 'Call to Action' to Find Reasons for Increase in Traffic Fatalities

The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to hear from the public to help explain the 35,092 traffic deaths last year, an increase of 2,348 people from 2014. It has issued a 'call to action' to help interpret the data.

September 8, 2016 - Fast Lane (DOT blog)

Group Living Challenges Single-Family Norms, and That's Okay

Faced with a national housing crisis, it's time for cities to stop letting social mores dictate who can live where.

September 8, 2016 - Slate

Del Mar Station TOD

Four Ways L.A. Metro Is Increasing Affordable Housing

A median-income family in the L.A. metro area spends 73 percent of their income on housing and transportation alone. L.A. Metro explains why and how they're taking huge steps to get affordable housing on land they own—where it will do the most good.

September 7, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

About City Gates and Gateways, With a Political Gloss

A year of political obsession with walls along national borders has Chuck Wolfe contemplating city gates of the past and present. Using the foil of proposed border walls, he examines the historic role of city gates, modern gateways, and more.

September 7, 2016 - The Huffington Post

Piedmont Park Atlanta

The Makings of Healthy Places

What makes for a healthy place? Kaid Benfield points to density of dwellings, intersections and public transport, plus access to parks.

September 6, 2016 - PlaceShakers

The Shard

London's Cascading Displacement Effects Start at the Top of the Income Ladder

New research from the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics finds evidence of the displacement of elites from affluent neighborhoods in London.

September 5, 2016 - The Guardian

Cupertino

White Flight Continues From Ethnoburbs Around the Country

As affluent whites have returned to more urban areas, some might think that white flight is a relic of the 20th century, but overwhelming evidence shows that white flight continues, just in a different place and time.

September 5, 2016 - Pacific Standard

California

Demographic Changes and Environmental Leadership in Sacramento

It has been a good year for environmentalists, but it hasn't come easily, as seen in the much-celebrated but delayed passage of SB 32 that continues the landmark emissions reductions first set in 2006. Joe Mathews explains the transitions underway.

September 4, 2016 - Zocalo Public Square

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.