United States

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Growing Faster than the Economy in the U.S.
2021 greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. transportation increased 10 percent compared to the previous year, pushing the entire world further from the emissions reductions necessary to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy Are a Place-Based Problem
New research from the Brookings Institution illuminates the racial disparities of public health outcomes both during and before the pandemic.

How Remote Work Could Reshape American Cities
If projections about remote work hold true, the resulting migration could shift economic centers, disperse housing market pressures, and transform the politics of small communities.

How COVID-19 and Skyrocketing Housing Costs Accelerated Sprawl
In search of space and affordability, American families are increasingly moving to suburbs and exurbs.

U.S. Communities Increasingly at Risk of Extreme Weather Events
As development pushes into more wildfire-prone areas and climate change makes extreme weather conditions more common, more Americans are experiencing the destructive impacts of climate disasters.

Delaware County Pauses Solar Applications In Response to Local Opposition
Large-scale solar developments face rising hostility from neighboring property owners who cite concerns about environmental degradation, reduced property values, and loss of farmland.

Transit Agencies Direct Resources to Core Ridership
As commuter ridership continues to lag due to the pandemic, transit systems are adjusting to better serve the essential workers and transit-dependent households who need them the most.

How 3D-Printing Can Make Housing More Affordable
Habitat for Humanity is working with 3D-printers to reduce the costs of construction and provide more housing for families in need.

Broadband as Critical Transportation Infrastructure
The future of mobility depends on having a comprehensive, nationwide broadband network capable of supporting new transportation technologies and regulatory needs.

State Hospitalization Record Breaks as Omicron Surges
Infections from the Omicron variant, which early studies suggest cause less severe illness than the Delta variant, may be contributing to a record number of hospitalizations in Ohio, the highest since the start of the pandemic.

How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Cities
The social and economic upheaval of the last two years accelerated a shift in thinking about how we use public space and organize the urban realm.

Emissions Benefits of the Biden Administration's New Tailpipe Emissions Rules
Emissions prevented by new tailpipe standards announced by the Biden administration in December 2021 will be measured in the billions.

Nation's Capital Is #1 COVID Hotspot
Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations per capita in the District of Columbia are higher than in any state or U.S. territory on New Year's Day. Only Puerto Rico and Louisiana have seen hospitalizations increase faster than D.C. in the last two weeks.

How to Prioritize Equity in the Infrastructure Bill
Experts recommend a more rigorous focus on equity considerations as the federal government begins to select projects to fund through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Santa Monica Offers Affordable Housing to Residents Displaced by Freeway Construction
A new program seeks to make restitution for the damage inflicted on Black communities by highway construction and urban renewal.

In Praise of Single-Staircase Construction
U.S. building codes mandate two staircases in multi-story buildings, but some argue this requirement reduces affordability and encourages wasteful, uninspired design.

The Most Popular Articles on Planetizen in 2021
The most-read news, features, blogs, and Planopedia posts on Planetizen in 2021.

Coalition Calls for Updated Federal Crash Test Standards
Revising federal crash test standards and updating test dummies to mimic a wider variety of bodies could save thousands of lives each year.

Omicron Helps to Shatter Infection Records
The rapidly spreading Omicron variant and its viral competitor, the Delta variant, are setting new case records globally and in the U.S.

Fighting Climate Change in the Kitchen
With more cities banning the use of natural gas in new buildings, cooks are discovering the benefits of electric appliances.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service