Social / Demographics

Curb cuts at an intersection in Neponsit, Queens, New York

Federal Government to Enforce Accessibility Guidelines

Local agencies will soon be tasked with adhering to federal right-of-way accessibility rules: comprehensive guidelines for accessible streets and sidewalks.

December 30, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

The historic Pearl District in San Antonio is pictured on a beautiful dat.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department Launched in San Antonio

San Antonio has set goals for diversity and inclusion in all services by establishing a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department.

December 30, 2021 - San Antonio Report

Regional Transit

Remote Workers: The New Supercommuters

Workers who moved away from their jobs during the pandemic are adjusting to longer commutes as employers start asking them to return to the office.

December 29, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

A vial of blood marked "Omicron" sits on top of paperwork indicating relevance to Covid-19.

Your Date With Omicron

“All of us have a date with omicron,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told The Associated Press on Dec. 20, adding "...and the best way you can encounter this is to be fully vaccinated.”

December 29, 2021 - The Hill

Baltimore Rowhouses

Study: Housing Market Instability Requires Robust Policy Response

A report from the Urban Land Institute calls for a multi-faceted approach to stabilizing the housing market and protecting tenants and homeowners.

December 29, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

A vial of blood marked "Omicron" sits on top of paperwork indicating relevance to Covid-19.

The Great American COVID Testing Failure

Americans who want to know if they are infected with the coronavirus are waiting hours to get tested and not finding rapid tests for at-home testing. Health experts had presented a plan to the administration in October to avoid this crisis.

December 28, 2021 - Vanity Fair

A statue of the Little Mermaid, overlooking the waterfront of Copenhagen, Denmark, is adorned with a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus Geography: Denmark Could Be an Omicron Harbinger

Denmark is one of three countries that experts suggest watching to determine how the Omicron wave will affect the U.S. and other well-vaccinated nations. Cases are surging notwithstanding having 78% of its population fully vaccinated.

December 27, 2021 - The Washington Post

Downtown Phoenix

To Combat Rising Heat Deaths, Phoenix Creates Heat Response and Mitigation Office

As more extreme temperatures lead to an alarming rise in heat-related deaths across the country, Phoenix is taking action with the nation's first public heat response office.

December 26, 2021 - High Country News

Uber App

Gig Workers Demand Data Transparency

Access to data for gig workers can provide a valuable source of information and bargaining power in a traditionally opaque and risky industry.

December 23, 2021 - Wired

Moving Truck

Busting the 'Urban Exodus' Myth, Again

New numbers from the Census Bureau show that fewer Americans moved in 2020 than ever before, belying dire predictions about the death of cities and the hollowing out of urban neighborhoods.

December 23, 2021 - Pew Research Center

A sign on a door says proof of vaccine is required to enter.

Federal Vax-or-Test Mandate for Large Employers Reinstated

Judges of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decided, 2-1, to allow the Biden administration's vax-or-test mandate for private sector employers, removing a stay placed on the OSHA rule by the Fifth Circuit. Enforcement begins Feb. 9.

December 22, 2021 - The New York Times

Crowd

Census: U.S. Population Growing Slower Than Any Point Since the Nation's Founding

The pandemic has added increased mortality to decreasing birth rates and decreasing international immigration.

December 22, 2021 - U.S. Census Bureau

A person experiencing homelessness sleeps on the sidewalk, atop the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reimagining Homelessness and Mental Health: 'Radical Hospitality' in Trieste, Italy

Kerry Morrison, founder of Heart Forward LA, shares her journey researching the “failures” of the U.S. mental health system, and what L.A. could learn about radical hospitality from a city with a robust community-based approach—Trieste, Italy.

December 21, 2021 - The Planning Report

Supreme Court Statue

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds New York State Vaccine Mandate

Health care workers in New York will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject hearing an appeal brought by workers who had sought a religious exemption. Also, an update on the federal vaccine mandate.

December 20, 2021 - The New York Times

 Interstate 710 in East Los Angeles, California.

California Bill Could Ban Freeway Expansions in Underserved Neighborhoods

A proposed bill in the California State Legislature would bar the state from funding road construction in communities at risk for displacement and health impacts.

December 20, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Ghost Bike

Replacing Houston's Missing Ghost Bikes

A Houston couple is asking for help installing 'ghost bike' memorials, a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe roads to cyclists.

December 19, 2021 - The Houston Chronicle

A vial of blood marked "Omicron" sits on top of paperwork indicating relevance to Covid-19.

'A Tidal Wave of Omicron Coming'

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson sounded an alarm on the public health threat posed by the Omicron variant. On Monday, he announced that a British resident had become the first person in the world whose death is tied to the new variant.

December 16, 2021 - Daily Mail

Orenco Station

Opinion: Upzoning Isn't Just for Major Streets

The practice of limiting high-density development to busy arterial streets puts renters and low-income households at higher risk for the effects of air and noise pollution created on major roads.

December 15, 2021 - Slate

A woman with a baby in a stroller and two men are milling around in front a sign that reads Austin Texas: Live Music Capital of the World.

Austin Musicians Squeezed By Housing Crisis

The Texas capital's iconic music scene could suffer as higher housing costs push musicians out of the city.

December 14, 2021 - KUT

An image of a bridge in Vermont with a sign in front of it announcing a COVID-19 quarantine order.

Revisiting Vermont: A COVID Update

PBS NewsHour investigates the surging coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Vermont which, along with Rhode Island, has 75% of its total population fully vaccinated, the nation's highest, as the U.S. appears to enter a winter surge.

December 13, 2021 - PBS NewsHour

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.