Social / Demographics
Facing Crises in Urban Life, Nigeria Keeps On Growing
Unlike Asia and South America, sub-Saharan Africa did not see birthrates fall in the second half of the 20th century. As a result, urban life in Nigeria heralds the challenges facing an increasingly populous planet, Elisabeth Rosenthal reports.
How U.S. Cities Drive the Global Economy
Brad Plumer discusses the findings of a new report from the McKinsey Global Institute that delves into the impact that U.S. cities have on the national and global economy, and assesses the reasons for their influence.
Is Walking a Liberal Value?
Will Oremus investigates an occurrence he noticed recently in Tom Vanderbilt's series on walking – that the cities with the highest "walk scores" were all liberal – and asks why conservative cities don't walk.
For Affordable Housing in NYC, a Bountiful Harvest
Alison Gregor highlights efforts by affordable housing developers to implement edible community gardens, bringing fresh food and neighborhood ties to inner-city tenants.
LAPD Moves to Curb "Lawlessness" on Venice Beach
A rising tide of hostility along Venice's famous boardwalk has prompted residents to call on the LAPD for help, Martha Groves reports.
Examining the Impact of the Changing Role of Women on the Built Environment
In this essay, Luis Rodriguez traces the demographic and socio-economic trends that reflect the changing role of women in society, and their impact on the way communities are planned and designed.
Studying the Surprising Correlation Between Big-Box Stores and Hate Groups
Emily Badger reports on an intriguing new study that shows big-box stores may be even more closely correlated with the presence of hate groups than many of the factors that have long been used to explain them.
Study Links Childhood Obesity to Walkability and Access to Healthy Food
A new study conducted by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute looks at how zip code is as important as genetic code in determining childhood obesity.
Pedestrianology 101: The Science of Walking in Social Spaces
In the second part of a four part series on America's pedestrian problem, Tom Vanderbilt evaluates the surprisingly formalized field of pedestrian behavior research, from navigating crowded sidewalks to tripping at the bottom of the stairs.
Where to Find the Global 1%
Richard Florida explores the rankings of the top global cities for the ultra-rich, as detailed in the 2012 Wealth Report released by real estate firm Knight Frank and Citi Private Bank.
NYT Editorial Welcomes The End Of Sprawl
The NYT editorializes on the just-released April 2010-July 2011 census data that shows a notable slow-down in exurban growth as urban growth increased. Pointing to the problems that accompanied America's embrace of sprawl, they welcome the change.
A Closer Look At Growth Data Showing An Urban Revival
On April 5, the U.S. Census Bureau released growth data from April 2010 to July 2011 showing that for the first time in 20 years, urban growth surpassed exurban growth. Yonah Freemark takes a closer look at the data for 21 metropolitan areas.
Probing the False Sense of Security in Gated Communities
Edward Blakely, co-author of “Fortress America: Gated Communities in the United States,” pens an opinion piece for The Washington Post looking at the detrimental psychology that exists in gated communities such as where Trayvon Martin died.
Establishing Public Health As An Integral Part of Decision-Making
Ben Goldman looks at the findings in a new paper released by the Pew Health Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, that aims to identify opportunities to increase the utilization of Health Impact Assessments (HIA).
Making Sustainable Food More Accessible to Less Fortunate Americans
As government funding for programs that make fresh fruits and vegetables available to low-income women and young children get cut, Sarah Parsons asks how to make the sustainable food movement less elitist.
Find Yourself A City to Live In
Emily Badger examines a new tool unveiled this week that makes finding your ideal city, and fulfilling the commandment of the Talking Heads' 1979 song "Cities," much easier.
Asking What Comes Next, as Maryland Tries to Move Beyond Sprawl
McKay Jenkins looks at the challenges confronting Maryland as the state tries to reckon with the devastating consequences of the era of sprawl and prepare for an additional one million people over the next twenty five years.
Bay Area's Population Problem: More Out Than In
More people leave the 9-county region than migrate there from other states. In fact, the population would be in decline if it wasn't for foreign migration. Notably missing from the report on Census data is the birth rate for the region.
Tracking Los Angeles' Racial Geography, 1990 - 2010
From black flight to Asian invasion, Mark Wilson offers his take on a stunning map that lays out the changing demography of Los Angeles.
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
