Social / Demographics

Lighting Fighting Crime

Fighting gang crime in Los Angeles is as easy as leaving the lights on at neighborhood parks.

July 13, 2009 - The New York Times

New Orleans Debates Highway To Boulevard Project

According to a new draft master plan, the Clairborne Expressway may be the next freeway to join the nation's growing highway to boulevard movement.

July 13, 2009 - The Times-Picayune

Eating Healthy Now Required in San Francisco

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has issued a directive that seeks to mandate healthy eating and food production in the city.

July 12, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

The City That Killed Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's life would have been incredibly different (read: more normal) and lasted longer if he lived in New York instead of L.A., argues Gigi Levangie Grazer. She says the isolating qualities of L.A. enabled the downfall of the King of Pop.

July 12, 2009 - The Huffington Post

Keeping an Eye on License Plates

The posh San Francisco Bay Area town of Tiburon is planning to install cameras that record the license plate numbers of all cars coming into town. Police will use the system to apprehend criminals or investigate crimes.

July 11, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Thousands of Crimes Not Displaying on LAPD Crime Map

The Los Angeles Police Department's crime-tracking website has been omitting thousands of violent crimes. 40% of crimes reported so far in 2009 are not included in the public website.

July 10, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Homelessness is On the Rise in Rural and Suburban Areas

Homelessness has jumped in the nation's suburban areas, according to a study from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Of those in U.S. shelters, 32% are in rural or suburban areas.

July 9, 2009 - USA Today

Next Steps for Shrinking Cities: Results of the Planetizen Brainstorm

Bulldoze? Densify? Walk away? There are many ways cities can react to shrinking populations and abandoned neighborhoods. Planetizen readers decide which ways are the best.

July 9, 2009 - Nate Berg

Baghdad's Changing (U.S.) Demographics

The population is falling -- the population of U.S. troops stationed in Baghdad, that is.

July 4, 2009 - The New York Times

Census Conspiracy Theories?

With the Census Bureau still without a Director and the 2010 Census looming, the count is facing a new threat in the form of right-wing conspiracy theories.

July 3, 2009 - The Progress Report

Big and Getting Bigger

Cities on the rise are growing faster and cities on the decline are shrinking slower, according to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

July 2, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

Growing Fast and Riding the Momentum

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released a list of the fastest-growing cities, in terms of population growth. Those on the list are hoping their growth will pull them through the recession.

July 1, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

Cash-Strapped Cities Ditch Fourth of July Fireworks

Tight budgets are causing cities across the country to skip fireworks displays for their Fourth of July celebrations.

June 29, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

The Shared Woes of the Auto Industry and the Black Middle Class

The downfall of the American auto industry is also having a major impact on middle and working class African-American families. This piece from the The New York Times Magazine looks at the connection.

June 29, 2009 - The New York Times Magazine

City People Do-It-Themselves

This post from The New York Times' blog examines how city government's are increasingly relying on automated services to keep order and boost revenue, and how citizens are reacting.

June 28, 2009 - The New York Times

Bicycle Use Surpasses Car Use in Amsterdam

According to the latest numbers out of Amsterdam, residents are for the first time using bicycles for transport more often than they use their cars.

June 27, 2009 - The Oregonian

Suburbs are Growing Faster

A report from the US Census Bureau shows that the nation continues to suburbanize.

June 25, 2009 - New Geography

Under Surveillance

The city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will soon be one of the most watched cities in the world, with plans for 165 closed circuit cameras monitoring public spaces.

June 23, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Most Unaffordable Housing, Most Livable Cities?

The Economist magazine has published it's list of the most livable cities in the world. But quite a few of these cities have the most unaffordable housing, complains Owen McShane.

June 22, 2009 - New Geography

Finding Public Space Wherever They Can in Cairo

Dense Cairo has few sanctioned public spaces. So residents make do wherever they can.

June 21, 2009 - 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.