Social / Demographics
Suburban Banks More Inviting....To Robbers
In an odd twist of the urban vs. suburban debate, here's an interesting nuance - bank robbers are finding the open atmosphere of suburban banks to be more appealing than the bulletproof glass-protected tellers that one often sees in busy urban areas.
Leaving San Francisco
Think "Leaving Las Vegas" starring Nicholas Cage, except the 'actors' here are the real thing - 'chronic inebriates' costing the city about $13 million annually in ambulance costs alone. It's not necessarily a 'homelessness' problem.
Chicago Looks to Public For Guidance on Future Transportation
Transportation officials in Chicago are enlisting the ideas of area residents as they attempt to draft a plan that will guide development and transportation in the region through 2040.
Kickflips in Kabul
A nonprofit program started in 2007 is teaching kids in Kabul, Afghanistan how to skateboard. This slideshow from the Los Angeles Times takes a look.
Building Communities With Legos and Plastic Bottles
GOOD Magazine follows planner James Rojas as he engages a community in the act of planning in his own particular fashion, using everyday objects and building blocks.
Feeding the World in 2050
Growing populations and diminishing land will make feeding people a challenge in the near future. This piece from Popular Science looks at eight strategies to keep the world fed.
The Future of the Human Relationship with the City
A recent episode of the Australian radio program Future Tense examines how humans interact with the city and how it will likely change in the future.
A Survey of American Drinking Fountains
Public drinking fountains are a useful if underappreciated urban amenity. The New York Times asked eight illustrators around the U.S. to watch one fountain in their cities and report back.
Mapping Software That Isn't Just Google Maps Plus
MIT researcher Jeffrey Warren has just released the latest version of Cartagen, a software platform for interactive mapping. Julia Galef takes a look.
Entering a Strange New World of Public Participation
Changing technologies and erratic political schedules are altering the way the public interacts with elected officials. For some politicians, the new form of public participation can get them into trouble.
Affluent Suburb Agrees to Affordable Housing Overhaul
Westchester County, NY will be required to invest in the provision of affordable housing units in communities that lack minorities. Furthermore, they will have to actively market these units towards minority populations.
Ever-Growing Florida Sees Population Drop
The population of Florida has decreased by about 50,000 people between April 2008 and April 2009, according to demographers at the University of Florida.
Steep Decline in Homeownership, Home Building Predicted
A new report shows that as the population of the U.S. ages, it is likely that more people will rent than own homes, causing a steep decline in the home building industry.
Brainstorm: Who Are the Top Urban Thinkers?
Planetizen is creating a list of the most important people who have shaped urban places, and we want to know what you think. Vote on people nominated by the Planetizen community, or suggest your own. The polls close September 7.
Why Portland is Better than Vancouver
Typically at the top of "best cities" lists, Vancouver and Portland are highly coveted places. This piece looks at why Portland is really number one.
'Disaster City' Trains Rescuers for Real-Life Catastrophes
Disasters happen. Being prepared is almost always the ideal, but rarely the reality. A disaster training facility in Texas is trying to change that.
Fort Meyers' 32-Story Single-Family Home
With a 32-story tower occupied only part-time by a single family, America's real estate bust may be most apparent in Fort Meyers.
Entrepreneurs Thriving in New Orleans
Entrepreneurs are flocking to New Orleans, a boom that some expect to help bring employment levels 98.8% of the way back to pre-Hurricane Katrina levels by 2016.
Tourism Through Authenticity
This episode of Smart City examines some new thinking in the realm of city tourism, focusing providing visitors more authentic experiences.
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
