Urban Development
Affordable Housing Needs Affordable Land
Witold Rybzynski details the vicious cycle behind the nation's shortage of affordable housing.
Ideas to Outmode the Strip Mall
In a contest sponsored by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, architecture firms nationwide competed to show off how they would best use land currently devoted to strip malls. Bustler provides the winning entries.
'Housing That Works' Plan Announced
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced that within the next five years, $5 billion will go to funding 20,000 new affordable homes near public transportation.
The One-Day Casino
To keep its gaming rights which will in turn preserve its property value, The Queen of Hearts casino must open for eight hours every two years.
News Summary: Cities and the Financial Crisis
How is the financial crisis impacting urban planning and land use policy? Managing Editor Tim Halbur takes a look at some early indicators drawn from recent news headlines and conversations with planning professionals.
Urban Planners, Butt Out!
The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.
Navigating Shared-Space Streets in the US
At a time when motorists have a smorgasbord of distractions to contend with, select US streets take a taste of a Scandinavian recipe for street design, where pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists, and even trees are blended together intuitively.
Branding Sustainability
Las Vegas' Union Park is a LEED-certified development that sits on a revitalized brownfield, but with no shortage of Vegas' glitz. Can smart growth be as marketable as it is environmentally good?
Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban
One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.
A Tale Of Two Theaters
The theaters are in the same city, owned by the same company, a mile apart. One is by the highway on a 14-acre lot, the other is two stories in the middle of town with underground, metered parking, and eateries on the ground level. One is closing.
Alps Endangered as Swiss Sprawl Spreads
Over the last 70 years, sprawl has rapidly taken over much of Switzerland, not just in suburban areas around cities, but also in the country's famous Alps.
Growth Not Catching Suburban Houston Town By Surprise
A small suburban Houston town has been planning ahead for growth that's expected to bring its population from just over 700 to nearly 40,000 in the next 15 years.
Americans Continue to Migrate to Metropolitan Regions
Professor Richard Morill of the University of Washington maps population growth over the past seven years, which shows a continuing pattern of movement towards large metropolitan regions.
Spain's Immigrants Offered Payouts to Leave After Construction Bust
Spain's booming construction industry was fuelled by immigrant workers, who were encouraged to come to Spain. The economic crisis has now stalled many of those construction projects.
Affordable Housing Hits Resort Town
A new master-planned development in Whistler blends housing types, keeping in mind its local workers, full-time residents, and seniors. Most notably, however, it provides much needed affordable housing options.
Three Perspectives on CA's 'Smart Growth' Bill
The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Sacramento Bee editorialize on the signing of SB 375, California's new landmark law that is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle miles traveled through better land use.
From Bad to Worse in NOLA
The economic crisis is the latest hindrance to stall rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. From issues of boosting homeownership to restoring tourism, the Big Easy's road to recovery is looking bumpier than ever.
The Cost of Density
As Toronto's heritage buildings fall to disrepair, new condominiums are slated to go up in their stead, prompting outcry from preservationists.
Bloomberg's Third Term A Boon For Citymaking
A third term for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been sold as a method to save Wall Street, but it's really more important to the city's urban planning, according to this piece from The Architect's Newspaper.
The Fight for the Front Lawn
Greg Beato looks at self-expression via the front lawn. In places that lack homeowners associations, he suggests, individualized lawns have great potential to strengthen the surrounding community.
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
