Social / Demographics

More Evidence that Decline and Concentrated Poverty Define the Urban Experience
Concern about gentrification in urban areas has dominated the urbanism discussion for more than a decade now, at the expense of a more informed understanding of urban dynamics and the potential for more effective action.

How to Design and Plan to Address the Root Causes of Gender Inequality
Gender equality has never played such a prominent role in the design of public and urban spaces. The world needs more than superficial, reactionary measures to address the long history of public space as the physical realm of patriarchy.

Affordable Single-Family Rental Housing Supply Needs a Boost
The supply gap is hitting lower-income families especially hard, a new study shows.

Facebook AI Maps Population Density
Facebook expects to release its worldwide maps of human density in the coming months—potential applications will likely be somewhere on the spectrum between humanitarian and commercial.

Preventing Homelessness Through Data Analysis
Predictive analytics can help identify vulnerable people early and deliver necessary services before they descend into homelessness.

Colorado Campaign Urges Drivers to Shut Off Their Phones
In 2018, distracted driving was a factor in over 15,000 crashes in Colorado. A new statewide campaign wants drivers to focus on the road rather than their phones.

Esri App Makes Data Visualization Easy
A wealth of pre-authored policy maps lets users access data to explore public policy issues.

Potholes Don’t Discriminate, but a Plan to Fix Oakland Streets Reveals Stark Divides in the City
The city has a plan to tackle its pothole problem that it says is equitable. But, some residents say it isn’t fair.

Will Manhattan's "Central Business District Tolling" Clear the Way for More Congestion Pricing?
Cordon pricing applied to Manhattan's Central Business District, approved by the state legislature on March 31 and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 1, has the ability to be a game changer for other cities considering similar programs.

In This New Co-Living Partnership, Friendships Are the Ultimate Amenity
Kin, a new partnership between the real estate company Tishman Speyer and the co-living company Common, bets that residents will accept smaller living spaces in exchange for a community borne out of in-house sharing-economy amenities.

Small Towns in the Western U.S. Achieving Population and Economic Growth
A small town success story in Montana is indicative of a larger trend in the Western United States. Meanwhile, small towns in the rest of the country struggle.

The First Mayor to Become President?
Pete Buttigieg, in his eighth and final year as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a formerly shrinking Rust Belt city, is on a roll in his bid to capture the Democratic nomination to challenge President Trump next year. The Indy Star looks at his record.

Displacement and San Antonio's 'Latino High Line'
The city is putting money into a risk mitigation fund, but activists want to see better protections for renters in a rapidly changing neighborhood.

Coal Mining in Kentucky, but No Beat Reporters to Cover It
Environmental reporting has been one of the major casualties as newspapers downsize, particularly in places where the in-depth coverage is most needed.

Millennial Confesses: I Was Born in the Suburbs and My Parents Are Baby Boomers
Everything we thought we knew about Millennials was wrong.

Problems With Portland Homeless Camp Clean-Up Program
An audit describes a number of issues with the city’s program to identify and remove illegal encampments.

Level of Service, the Wrong Performance Measure
The use of level of service (LOS) to gauge the success of roadway networks has shaped and influenced cities in many negative ways.

Review: 'The Handbook of Gentrification Studies'
A book by Loretta Lees and Martin Phillips, published in 2018, is reviewed and recommended to "graduates studying anthropology of cities, urbanism, geography, and new urban identities."

What Will the Future of Homeownership Look Like?
Homeownership rates declined precipitously in the United States up until 2016. While that trend has reversed in more recent years, it's still hard to tell what the future of homeownership will be.
Pagination
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