Texas

Texas State Capital

Texas Bill to Slow Property Tax Increases Advances

The Texas Senate has approved Senate Bill 2, which would require a vote to raise property taxes beyond 5 percent—lowered from the current threshold of 8 percent.

March 23, 2017 - Dallas News

Whitewater

Whitewater Park Snafu Leads to Legal Conflicts on Dallas' Trinity River

A seemingly innocuous idea for water recreation has turned into a legal headache for the city of Dallas. Still, the Army Corps of Engineers isn't budging on its declaration of the river as navigable.

March 21, 2017 - The Dallas Morning News

Austin Cycle

SXSW Attendees Troubled by Austin's Lack of Uber

What happens when SXSW stops being polite, and starts getting real?

March 20, 2017 - Next City

Border Wall

Trump Administration Lawyering Up for Eminent Domain at the U.S.-Mexico Border

One of the nuggets of significance in the Trump Administration's budget draft indicates the president's seriousness about building a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico.

March 17, 2017 - The Wall Street Journal

Midwest Flooding

The Upside of Flooding

Stormwater and cities don't mix. Stormwater and nature, however, are well suited for each other.

March 15, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

Canadian Prime Minister Wins Award for Being Pro-Oil Sands and Pro-Environment

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is treading a fine line between supporting the economy of oil-sands dependent western Canada and fighting climate change, as impossible as that might sound. His efforts were rewarded by the energy industry.

March 14, 2017 - CBC News

Austin Bus

Op-Ed: Austin Still Needs Traditional Buses

Transportation network companies cannot duplicate transit service in outlying communities, argues Ryan Young.

March 14, 2017 - The Daily Texan

Homeless Encampment

Tents Under Bridges Outlawed in Houston

In an attempt to remove homeless people from underpasses, Houston Mayor proposes legislation to make it a misdemeanor to put up such structures.

March 10, 2017 - Next City

Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure

Houston's First Bike Plan Since 1993 Will Wait a Few More Weeks

Houston bike advocates were hoping the City Council would act on the city's first new bike plan since 1993. Instead, the plan will have to wait while councilmembers decide about how to approach funding for the plan's proposed projects.

March 9, 2017 - Houston Public Media

Austin Bus

Big Changes Coming for Austin Transit System

After a long survey process, Austin looking to update its transit system focusing on frequency on its busiest routes.

March 4, 2017 - Capital Metro Blog

Skaters

Dallas Skaters Hope for a New Park

Texas cities are home to many half pipes and grind rails, but Dallas lags behind other cities in the region.

March 3, 2017 - Dallas Morning News

Texas residential

Mapping Austin's Residential Demolitions

Demolitions in residential neighborhoods have increased quickly in Austin, as property owners upgrade their homes to contemporary layouts. Community Impact newspaper investigates the trend.

March 2, 2017 - Community Impact Newspaper

How to Build a $12 Billion High-Speed Rail Line at No Cost to Taxpayers

Unlike the nation's more well-known high-speed rail project in California, the 205 miles-per-hour, Dallas-to-Houston bullet train will be almost entirely privately financed. How is that possible?

February 28, 2017 - Dallas News

Texas Rail

More than Twenty Bills Introduced in Texas Legislature to Stop High-Speed Rail

The California high-speed rail project is not alone in confronting legal and political obstacles. The main issue in Texas that has aroused opposition to the privately financed, 240-mile Dallas to Houston bullet train is the use of eminent domain.

February 27, 2017 - The Texas Tribune

Denver TOD

Checking In With Cities That 'Lost' the Smart Cities Challenge

Denver and Austin were finalists in the competition. Since then, they've found ways to implement their ideas.

February 27, 2017 - Governing

Texas Wind

Texas Road Subsidies Take Toll on General Fund

Diverting billions of dollars of sales tax revenue from the state's general fund to the Texas Department of Transportation is taking a toll on other programs that lawmakers must fund.

February 27, 2017 - The Texas Tribune

Texas State Capitol building

Fair Housing Advocates Sue Texas Governor Over Housing Voucher Law

A Dallas non-profit has sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott over what it calls a blatantly racist law that allows landlords to refuse payment in federal housing vouchers.

February 22, 2017 - The Dallas Morning News

Texas Capitol Building

Austin Looking to Five New View Corridors

The city of Austin is looking for ways to keep all eyes on the state capitol building.

February 20, 2017 - Austin Monitor

Downtown Street

Op-Ed: Houston Should Try to Kill Fewer Pedestrians

City officials in Houston have shown little regard for the safety of its people when they're walking outside, argues an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle.

February 10, 2017 - The Houston Chronicle

Houston MTA

A Super Weekend for Houston Rail Transit

"Sunday might have been the Super Bowl, but Saturday was Metro’s super day," reports Dug Begley.

February 7, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

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.