Pennsylvania

National Initiative to Address Structural Racism in Cities
Five U.S. cities will examine how their government operations impact people of color, and come up with solutions to advance racial equity.

Pennsylvania Legislators Propose New Commercial Development in State Parks
A pair of legislative proposals in the Pennsylvania State Legislature would open the door to private development in the state park system.

Pennsylvania Legislation to Address Billboard Impacts
Residents in towns around Pennsylvania are calling for regulations to better understand and mitigate the impacts of large digital and static billboards.
All the Ways Section 8 Vouchers Go to Waste
With a lack of suitable rental units and a lack of willing landlords, the city of Pittsburgh provides a case study for the failure of the Housing Choice Voucher Program to live up to its potential.

Plans Released for $6.5 Billion Development in Philadelphia
Planners have completed a two-year study of the area around the 30th Street Station in the University City neighborhood in Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh Suburb Rejects Zoning Change for Proposed Power Plant
A zoning controversy could continue into a legal appeal.

660 Acres Donated to Pittsburgh to Become City's Largest Park
The city of Pittsburgh is celebrating the conveyance of 660 acres of property known as Hays Woods. The property will one day become the largest park in the city.

7 'Smart Cities Challenge' Proposals
The Washington Post details each of the seven proposals competing for $40 million in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Smart Cities Challenge.

Are Ride-Hailing Services Complementing or Competing with Rail Transit?
A news report on Charlotte's Lynx Blue Line looks at whether ride-hailing services are complementing rail transit by providing vital first mile-last mile service or whether customers are forgoing the transit trip entirely. Ridership has been falling.
Philly Developer Must Comply With Zoning Deal Before Tenants Can Occupy Luxury Units
City officials in Philadelphia are scrambling to deal with the fallout after a developer suddenly backed out of a deal that allowed additional height in exchange for affordable housing units for a 250-unit development near the Delaware River.

Giant Ethane Cracker Coming to a Keystone Opportunity Zone Near Pittsburgh
The state of Pennsylvania and the county of Beaver have what they wanted: Shell has decided to build a new ethane cracker facility northwest of Pittsburgh.

Real-Estate Site Locates Redevelopment Potential Across Philadelphia
A new map-based web tool created by a former city employee calculates the redevelopment potential of every parcel in Philadelphia.

'Vacant Home Tour' Reimagines Blight
It's not your typical walking tour: A resident-led project in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania explores the history of a community through its blighted properties.

Proposed Bill Would Empower Philadelphia Councilmember Prerogative
A Philadelphia councilmember has proposed a seemingly esoteric bill that would amend the city code to give individual councilmembers new power in the planning process.

One Reaction to an Invasive Plant Species: Eat It
When it comes to one particularly invasive plant species in Pittsburgh, some food retail businesses are saying, "if you can't beat it, eat it."

The College President With the Sterling Redevelopment Résumé
John A. Fry lacks a terminal degree, but what he doesn't lack is land use and redevelopment know-how. Drexel University in Philadelphia is the latest to employ his talents.
Loss of 'Situational Awareness' Caused Fatal Amtrak #188 Crash
The nation's transportation safety board determined that a distracted engineer caused one of the worst crashes in Amtrak's history, killing eight and injuring over 180 people just north of Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Expresses Solidarity for Cities
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf grew up in a small town, but he has since adopted cities among his political causes. In recent remarks, he detailed his opinions about how public policy shortchanges cities—in Pennsylvania and the country.

Two Rustbelt Cities Take Similar Tacks to Future Planning
Erie, Pennsylvania and Canton, Ohio have faced the challenges of shrinking populations and fewer job prospects, but new comprehensive plans in each city may provide a pathway to resurgence

'Pay-By-Plate' Parking Meters Bring Windfall to Pittsburgh
The power of modern parking technology is on display on the streets of Pittsburgh.
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