Social / Demographics

March for Environmental Justice

Deep Economic and Racial Injustice Found in California Pollution Exposure

A new study confirms the facts of environment justice that has long been common knowledge in affected communities. Now the evidence can be mapped, as well.

February 15, 2019 - Union Of Concerned Scientists

San Francisco Street

More Bad Polling News for Cordon Area Congestion Pricing in the U.S.

Only a handful of cities in North America are considering applying tolls to congested urban streets, as opposed to highways. Efforts in one of those cities, San Francisco, just received negative polling results on a potential $3 auto access fee.

February 15, 2019 - San Francisco Examiner

Seattle Downtown

Post-Recession Migration Patterns of Younger and Older Americans

New census data shows that millennials and seniors are migrating less, a result of the Great Recession and its economic impacts. For those who are moving, cities in the Sun Belt have been primary destinations.

February 15, 2019 - Brookings

Bus Stop

How Transit Creates a Two-Tiered Transportation System in America

Transit is not providing what many travelers need, in terms of both location and service. The result is that transit use is a time and financial burden for those who can least afford it.

February 13, 2019 - The Nation

Clear-Sky Flood

Interactive Maps of Flooding Risks Offer New Climate Planning Tools

"Neighborhoods at Risk" offers new tools for illustrating the threats posed to communities by climate change.

February 12, 2019 - Headwaters Economics

Twin Peaks Drive

Economic Independence or Auto Dependency?

A new study calls for "universal auto access" to combat poverty. It recommends subsidizing auto ownership or access for those who are economically unable to afford the high cost of owning, maintaining, and operating a personal motor vehicle.

February 11, 2019 - CityLab

Des Moines, Iowa

A Case for Giving Midsized Metro Areas More Attention

As major cities draw in wealth and population, midsized metros may be getting less attention than they deserve. After all, many of their economic, demographic, and political challenges resemble those of the nation as a whole.

February 11, 2019 - Brookings

Porter Ranch

Study: Kids Do Worse in Schools Near Traffic

Moving to a school with higher levels of traffic pollution could impact students' academic performance, according to new research.

February 10, 2019 - CityLab

Ciclavia

Study: Bike Infrastructure Short Changes Lower-Income Residents, People of Color

A new study by researchers from Harvard University addresses bike equity, which is a powerful tool for increasing access to transportation and reducing inequality in U.S. cities

February 8, 2019 - The Conversation

Boyle Heights Los Angeles

The Racial Complexities of Gentrification in L.A.

In some Latino neighborhoods, the gentrifiers are also Latinos. The result is a complicated mix of culture, change, and resistance.

February 8, 2019 - Vice

South Los Angeles

L.A.'s Long History of Informal Housing

The story of informal housing is one of changing racial and class demographics, economic opportunity and needs, and regulatory control.

February 7, 2019 - Boom California

Steaven K Jones Supportive Community Los Angeles

L.A. Program Seeks to Boost Construction of Homeless Housing

The Los Angeles plan to build supportive housing for homeless people is lagging and costing much more than anticipated. A new pilot program seeks to overcome these hurdles by soliciting new ideas and strategies from developers.

February 7, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Leave it to beaver house

The 'Suburban Decline' Narrative Is Overstated

While suburbs are changing, that doesn't mean they are declining, according to recently published research.

February 7, 2019 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

Luxembourg Bus

What’s Behind the Free Transit Coming to Luxembourg

All of the country’s buses, trains, and trams will be free starting next year in a move to help residents struggling with the cost of living.

February 6, 2019 - BBC

Section 8 Kids

Study: Housing Vouchers Fuel Racial Segregation

The trend should serve as a "wake-up call" for housing policy, researchers say.

February 6, 2019 - The Washington Post

Children

Where the Children Are

Richard Florida counters the idea that children and families are disappearing from U.S. cities.

February 5, 2019 - CityLab

Massachusetts

Mapping Change – A New Interactive Tool for Boston

The latest example of the Internet's power to make deliver data and maps to the masses, produced by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

February 5, 2019 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Minneapolis Aerial

Funding Focus in Push to Diversify Minneapolis Neighborhood Groups

The leadership of neighborhood associations does not reflect the city’s demographics. In the future, funding of the groups could be dependent on reaching diversity benchmarks.

February 4, 2019 - Star Tribune

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

If Road Pricing Is Inherently Unfair and Regressive...

Road pricing has its faults as a revenue measure, but it needs to be compared to ten elements of the current system of paying for transportation, including hidden subsidies, says Joe Cortright, an urban economist with Portland-based City Observatory.

February 4, 2019 - City Observatory

2020 Census Logo

More Concern for the 2020 Census: Misinformation on Social Media

The Census Bureau expects misinformation campaigns like those leading to the 2016 President Election to sway the results of the 2020 Census.

February 4, 2019 - Nextgov

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.