Social / Demographics

Missouri

Pandemic Geography: Missouri Outbreak Driven by Delta Variant

With 65.4% of the nation's adult population at least partially vaccinated, daily new COVID cases have dropped to the lowest level since late March 2020. However, cases are increasing in some states, none more than Missouri.

June 21, 2021 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Black Likes Matter

White House Marks Juneteenth by Pushing for Zoning Reforms

On a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, the White House marked the occasion by discussion exclusionary zoning.

June 20, 2021 - WhiteHouse.gov

Car-Centric Planning

Mapping Environmental Justice Hotspots

A new map of Virginia illustrates the stark contrasts in pollution burdens depending on location.

June 18, 2021 - The Virginia Mercury

Chicago skyline

The Consequences of Urban Population Decline for American Cities

Big cities saw the sharpest population declines during the pandemic. Is the trend here to stay?

June 17, 2021 - Brookings Institution

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Redding, California at night

Leveraging Church Properties to Build Affordable Housing

As owners of valuable urban real estate, some churches are taking up the mandate to serve their community by using their vacant properties to provide housing for people being priced out of their homes.

June 16, 2021 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Washington Square Park, New York City

Manhattan Residents Cling to Public Space Amid NYPD Crackdowns

The city's police has begun issuing citations and implementing curfews in public parks that became oases of social activity during the pandemic.

June 16, 2021 - Gothamist

A photo of protesters on the front lawn of the Ohio Statehouse during the State of the Union speech by Governer Kasich.

Coronavirus Legislation: Vaccine Choice or Anti-Vax?

If vaccines provide the means out of the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy and opposition threaten to prolong it. Battles over public health are being fought in courtrooms and statehouses like in Ohio, where a 'vaccine choice' bill is being considered.

June 15, 2021 - The Columbus Dispatch

Rep. Marcia Fudge

White House Reinstates Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule

The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule is back, but with one critical change that seems to respond to complaints used by Trump administration officials to rescind the rule in 2020.

June 14, 2021 - The Washington Post

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Legalizing Street Vending: Lessons from Los Angeles

With new regulations poised to add 400 new vendors to New York City's streets every year for the next decade, city leaders can look to L.A.'s recent legalization efforts for guidance.

June 13, 2021 - Curbed

New York Subway Coronavirus

NYC Transit Ridership Patterns Have Shifted to the Outer Boroughs

Signs of the times, and more evidence of the essential service provided by public transit throughout the pandemic.

June 11, 2021 - The City

Mass Vaccination

Coronavirus Litigation: Can Employers Require Employee Vaccinations?

The plaintiffs in one of the nation's first court cases over employer-required COVID vaccinations are among the heroes of the pandemic—nurses fighting to remain unvaccinated. Houston Methodist Hospital suspended unvaccinated employees on June 6.

June 10, 2021 - JD Supra

Los Angeles Metro Bus

Opinion: Transit Needs to Be Better, Not Cheaper

With many U.S. transit agencies facing severe gaps in service and budget shortfalls, some advocates argue that improved service matters more than free fares.

June 9, 2021 - Slate

Q Arena

How Legacy Cities Can Support Equitable Development

A new report outlines seven strategies for balancing economic development and equity specifically aimed at smaller, post-industrial cities.

June 8, 2021 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Coronavirus and Urbanism

California Workplaces to Return to Normal? Not Unless Everyone is Vaccinated

Most coronavirus restrictions are set to end on June 15 in California. The statewide mask mandate will align with CDC guidance, but workplaces will follow the new Cal/OSHA mask mandate: Unless everyone is vaccinated indoors, everyone masks.

June 8, 2021 - The Mercury News

People boarding bus at LA Metro Bus Stop, Alvarado Street, Los Angeles

Can L.A. Metro Fund its Fareless Transit Pilot?

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors has approved a program that would eliminate fares for students and low-income riders, but the program's future rests on finding sustainable funding sources.

June 6, 2021 - LAist

Mt. Rainier

2020 Population Growth Rates for the 50 Biggest U.S. Cities

The Census Bureau released new data on May 27 that includes the first four months of the pandemic. Seattle tops the growth rate at 2.2% from July 1, 2019, to July 1, 2020, while Baltimore and San Francisco land at the bottom with -1.4%.

June 4, 2021 - The Seattle Times

Sports Utility Vehicle

For Transportation Justice, Auto Safety Must Protect People Outside the Car

Light trucks are killing more pedestrians than ever while keeping their drivers and passengers safer. Is it time to reframe safety regulations?

June 3, 2021 - Treehugger

The image shows a portion of the African American neighborhood that was overrun by white rioters May 31-June 1, 1921. With force of numbers and superior weapons, they defeated the black defenders in a number of engagements.

The Tulsa Race Massacre: A Century Later

On the hundred-year anniversary of the violence that destroyed Tulsa's "Black Wall Street," the country is finally reckoning with the legacy of one of the most destructive racially motivated riots in U.S. history.

June 3, 2021 - Diana Ionescu

West 72nd Street

Learning About the City by Running for Office

When you are trying to get people's attention, a city feels very different.

June 2, 2021 - Michael Lewyn

HUD

Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities

A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.

June 2, 2021 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

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.