United States

Coronavirus

'Metro Recovery Index' Measures the Impact of the Pandemic and the Trajectory of the Recovery

Brookings has released a new tool for measuring the impact of the coronavirus on local economies across the country, as well as the effectiveness of economic recovery efforts.

July 14, 2020 - Brookings

COVID-19

Resurgence Delayed—or a Pandemic Exodus?

In this interview with Emily Badger of the New York Times, Natalie Moore of WBEZ Chicago, and Amanda Kolson Hurley of Bloomberg Businessweek, Slate's Henry Grabar asks about the future viability of America's cities and suburbs in a time of COVID-19

July 14, 2020 - Slate

New York City Subway

New Model for Federal Funding Needed for Emergency Public Transit Funding

The federal funding for public transit systems created by the CARES Act followed the normal federal funding formulas, which don't adequately respond to the realities of the pandemic, according to TransitCenter.

July 14, 2020 - TransitCenter

Los Angeles in 1939, as determined by the  Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC).

Lessons From Decades of Racist Land Policy

President and CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Dr. George McCarthy traces the legacy of racist policy and offers guidance toward an economic recovery that begins to undo systemic racism.

July 13, 2020 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

2016 Presidential Election

Floridians File Lawsuit to Protect Jacksonville from the GOP

A public nuisance lawsuit filed July 8 aims to ensure that an unsafe indoor mass gathering like President Trump held in Tulsa last month, which reportedly led to coronavirus infections, does not occur during the Republican National Convention.

July 13, 2020 - WJCT News

Skaters

Parks on Wheels to Deliver Recreational Services to Underserved Areas

It has been over 25 years since urban planning professor Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris discussed the idea of "mobile parks" to meet recreational needs. The idea is still relevant today.

July 10, 2020 - Parks & Recreation Magazine

Frances Goldin—Revolutionary, Organizer, Visionary—Joins the Ancestors at Age 95

Frances Goldin influenced a generation of housing organizers. Her vision was of a multiracial, multiethnic community based on the principles of justice. Her instruction to us was to fight for it.

July 10, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Emergency Sign

COVID Crisis Triggers Unprecedented Medical Measure in Arizona

At the request of the state's largest health network, Arizona has activated the "Crisis Standards of Care," meaning that if a hospital lacks capacity, it can turn away new patients, likely to be seniors, sending them home. Other states may follow.

July 9, 2020 - Arizona Mirror

Electric Car Charging

A New 'Playbook' for Infrastructure Development

The New Partnership on Infrastructure coalition's "America's New Playbook for Infrastructure" calls for just and resilient development moving forward from the coronavirus pandemic.

July 9, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Hospital Signs

From Ventilators to Ventilation: The Shifting Focus of the Pandemic

Ventilator availability is a major indicator for states in the South and West that are seeing record hospitalizations, but in New York, where Gov. Cuomo announced that New York City had moved to Phase III of reopening, the topic was ventilation.

July 9, 2020 - Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Mountlake Terrace, Washington

House Committee Calls for Stronger Federal Role in Planning to Deal With Climate Change

The new "Solving the Climate Crisis" report could provide guidance and direction if federal leadership in Washington, D.C. finally decides to take aggressive steps to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to a changed climate.

July 9, 2020 - American Planning Association

Helena, Montana

CDC Sued to Force Release Racial Demographic Data on Coronavirus Spread

Systemic racism is blamed for the glaring and tragic racial disparities of the COVID-19 illness in the United States.

July 9, 2020 - The New York Times

San Francisco Parklet

How Local Planners Can Lead a Proactive, Aggressive Response to the Pandemic

The novel coronavirus has so far preyed on the most vulnerable in cities, as a result of the planning failures of the previous century. Planners today can take steps to reverse that reality, if they reclaim their historic role.

July 8, 2020 - Democracy

Fringe Development

Marohn: End Single-Family Zoning

A prominent conservative voice in the urban planning debate makes the case for repealing the single-family zoning status quo.

July 8, 2020 - The American Conservative

Global warming and pollution

The Post-Pandemic Economy Could Be Dirtier Than Ever

The environmental gains at the beginning of the pandemic were only temporary., and there are signs more signs every day that the economy will be dirtier than ever in the future.

July 8, 2020 - National Geographic

Electric Scooters

Mobility Companies All Over the PPP Recipients' List

The transportation industry has been promising high-tech innovations for years, and has attracted a lot of big time investment dollars along the way. But it looks like some of them are struggling during the pandemic anyway.

July 7, 2020 - The Verge

Transit in a Pandemic

The U.S. in Free Fall

The U.S. has over 2.9 million COVID-19 cases; half of them were diagnosed in the past week and a half. On July 6, cases are increasing in 32 states, holding steady in 14, and decreasing in four.

July 7, 2020 - CNN

Moving

Survey Says 1 in 5 Americans Have Moved or Know Someone Who Did Since the Pandemic Began

Since the outset of the pandemic, predictions about waves of Americans moving, whether due to necessity or choice, have been rampant. Now, survey results reveal the first indications of how true those predictions turned out to be.

July 7, 2020 - Pew Research Center

Brooklyn, New York City

Tactical Urbanism Gurus Rethink Equity

Mike Lydon and Tony Garcia wrote the book on Tactical Urbanism, and as leading consultants of the practice in cities around the country, they have faced criticism in recent weeks and months for a lack of attention to matters of equity.

July 7, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

4th of July parade

July 4th Weekend a Time for Reckoning

As the U.S. celebrates its 245th birthday, the nation's top infectious disease expert issued a stern warning—the U.S. is on a path to having 100,000 Americans infected daily with Covid-19. In Florida, another expert warns that time is running out.

July 6, 2020 - The Washington Post

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.