Social / Demographics
Infrastructure Spending, Policy Benefit Suburbs and not Cities
Harvard economics professor Edward L. Glaeser argues that the United States has a long, pervasive pattern of anti-urban behavior that needs to change.
Urbanites Make the Case for Goats as Pets
The don't bite. They don't need much space. They follow kids around like a dog. We're talking about miniature goats. Planning commissions across the country are being asked to moved the hooved animals into the "pet" category.
Can Urban Design Alleviate the Need for Cops?
A look at public space as a "community living room" and the role of police within the context of Los Angeles.
Census a Challenge in Abandoned Neighborhoods
Cincinnati's Tract 16 is the neighborhood deemed hardest to count in Ohio by census takers. As the Enquirer puts it, "high numbers of abandoned buildings, low literacy rates and urban poverty make it a people-counting quagmire."
Federal Government Redefines Poverty
The federal government is rewriting the way it defines poverty. As a result, city poverty levels are expected to see major shifts.
Designing Happiness into Cities
This piece from Shareable looks at the urban work of Enrique Penalosa and how it emphasizes the importance of happiness in cities.
The Most Obese Cities
Gallup looks at the body mass index of American cities to see which metro areas are the most overweight. Flint, Michigan and Stockton, California come out on top.
Johannesburg's BRT Controversy Underscores Class Issues
Treehugger takes a look at the new bus rapid transit system in Johannesburg, South Africa, and explores some of the controversy and tension that surrounds it.
San Diego Looks At Density to Meet Projected Housing Demand
With population estimates adding an additional 1.2 million people to the San Diego region in the next 40 years, planners say the region will need nearly 400,000 additional housing units to meet the demand.
In Land Of Hi-Tech, Why Do Newspapers Flourish?
Palo Alto is where Silicon Valley started, yet locals eagerly pick up the Daily Post, the Daily News, as well as read PaloAlto-Online. The New York Times investigates why print media flourishes here while regional and national papers struggle.
America's Path to 400 Million
The New York Times reviews a new book by Joel Kotkin about the role of immigration and minority populations in America.
Poverty Heads to the Suburbs
The migration of America's low income population is spreading to the suburbs. But the suburbs aren't ready to handle the influx, according to this piece.
The Biggest Misconceptions About the Census and Demographics
The Brookings Institution lists out the five biggest myths and misconceptions about the Census and the way demographics change in the U.S.
Challenges for the Emerging Mega-City of Lagos
This analysis from Nigeria's Daily Independent looks at the challenges facing Lagos, the country's biggest city, as it grows into a global mega-city.
Small and Illegal Places Pose Challenge for Census Takers
Census takers in New York City will face the tough challenge of tracking down people living in often illegally-built and hard to find small rooms and apartments.
'Unexpectedly Green' Slums
This article from The Prospect looks at slums and squatter cities. Author Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, calls them "unexpectedly green".
Indonesia Considers New Capital as Jakarta Sinks
As sea levels rise and flooding threatens the foundations on which the city was built, the Indonesian capital of Jakarta is literally sinking into the sea. Now the president is pushing a plan to find a new home for the country's capital.
The Death and Gentrification of Great American Cities
Sharon Zukin's new book takes a different look at the urbanity championed in Jane Jacobs' seminal book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", arguing that gentrification is tearing up the authenticity of places.
The Migratory Patterns of Americans are Changing
The American Enterprise Institute looks closely at how migration patterns have changed state-by-state through the last couple of years of recession.
Early Days of Johannesburg BRT Highlight Persistent Racial Tensions
The major cities in South Africa are busy building new bus rapid transit systems to improve the way their residents get around. But in Johannesburg, the new system is having a rocky start.
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
