Urban Development
Phoenix Takes a Green Turn
This article from Grist looks at the city of Phoenix as it teams with Arizona State University to shift the city's direction from endless sprawl to a smarter, more environmentally-conscious growth pattern.
When Preservation Trumps Smart Growth
A New Jersey town along the one of the state's light rail line has rejected a plan for adding new mixed-use residential to its downtown, for fear of new development threatening its main street's historic character.
Has Seattle Become Too Expensive For Its Own Good?
Celebrated for its livability and character, the city is increasingly unaffordable to the very people who gave Seattle its funky vibe.
Adding Housing To Office Parks
Facing a shortage of affordable housing, Westchester, New York, is considering using the excess parking lots of local office park campuses for new housing development.
New State Laws Making It Easier To Build Green
States are helping homeowners who want to have a more eco-friendly lifestyle by overturning homeowner association regulations that ban solar panels and wind turbines.
Curing Ills in Suburban Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia, has its own brand of suburban sprawl: suburbia without the space. A new comprehensive plan aims to address the woes of suburban Melbourne, but some say it doesn't go far enough.
Inside the Plans for a Carbon-Neutral City in the Desert
This segment from NPR looks at plans for the carbon-neutral Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.
Market Downturn Is Good News For Land Conservationists
While plenty of investors and homeowners are feeling the pain of the current real estate market, groups trying to protect land from development are welcoming the downturn.
New Urbanist Town Designed For Ultimate In Green Living
A planned New Urbanist development in Northern California wants enable its eventual residents to live within their prescribed ecological footprint.
Major Land Deal To Protect 240,000 Acres In Southern California
The developer of the Tejon Ranch agreed to a plan to put permanent conservation easements on almost 375 square miles of ranch lands and wilderness 60 miles north of Los Angeles, in exchange for rights to develop 10 percent of its land holdings.
Affordable Housing Versus Better Wages
Massachusetts wants to require affordable housing developers to pay construction workers a "prevailing wage", but with costs already totaling $200,000 or more per unit, the proposal may ultimately decrease the amount of affordable housing built.
Candidates Sit Idly While Sprawl Thrives and Cities Die
This piece from The Cleveland Free Times argues that policy can and does encourage sprawl, and none of the candidates running for president will do anything to combat these policies. Meanwhile, American cities will continue to die off.
How To Encourage Brownfield Redevelopment
Builders and planners are gathering in Detroit to discuss funding options for brownfield redevelopment and learn from region's experience transforming these community eyesores.
Housing Debacle Threatens Renters
A new report examines the impacts of the mortgage meltdown on rental housing.
Building Water Slides in Drought Country
Water shortages have hammered the Atlanta region. But despite the drought, one real estate developer is planning to build a huge water park.
Portland Bicycling Goes Platinum
The City of Portland joins Davis, California, as the only other city to earn the League of American Bicyclists' Platinum rating.
Is 'Sex And The City' To Blame For New York's Gentrification?
With its portrait of glamorous living in Manhattan, some New Yorkers can't help but blame the television series for fueling the city's gentrification. Even the show's star, Sarah Jessica Parker, laments Manhattan's loss of 'grit'.
Cultural District Planned For Downtown Salt Lake City
Plans for a Broadway-style theater and "cultural district" in downtown Salt Lake City moves forward.
Los Angeles Cracks Down On Mansionization
Despite concerns about lowering property values across the city, the L.A. City Council moved to limit the size of newly constructed homes in older neighborhoods to about 4,000 square feet.
Orange County, China
The extent of China's embrace of American-style suburbanization is best illustrated by one of its newest gated communities, which is actually called Orange County.
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
