United States

Trump to Suspend Environmental Regulation for Economic Emergency
Reports from the White House indicate that the Trump administration is planning to rollback federal environmental protections to expedite highway and other projects.

The Onion Skewers Police Use of Public Transit During Protests
It's possible that bus public transit could some day again be a powerful tool for economic and social mobility.

Black Urbanism at Work
Black Americans have been working hard to build a better world.

Report Examines the Processes and Effects of Reopening
A large-scale experiment is underway.

An Institutional Racism Syllabus
JSTOR Daily has compiled a syllabus for reading on the causes and consequences of institutional racism.

Opposing the Militarization of Police in Urban Areas
An impassioned plea for police not to escalate the violent and angry scenes that have punctuated the peaceful protests of the past week, as desired by key figures in the Trump administration as well as the president himself.

House Democrats Would Increase Transit Spending, Still Spend More on Highways
House Democrats proposed the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act as a five-year plan for transportation spending at the federal level. The bill is unlikely to make it any further than the House.

Advocates Respond to the Role of Public Transit in Protests and Arrests
The commandeering of buses for police to transport arrested protestors is raising questions about the allegiances of transit agencies in the United States.

Connecting the Dots Between Planning and Policing
The newest issue the Journal of Planning and Education Research responds to a clear need of the time: the need to address social justice in the public realm while reforming planning practices in the United States.

The Looming Eviction Crisis
Of all the nightmare scenarios that became possible when the coronavirus hit the shores of the United States, the possibility of massive evictions and a rental market failure seems to have averted the worst possible outcomes. That could still change.

Surveying the Fiscal Nightmare for Cities and States
Governing takes a tour through the fiscal impacts of a suddenly cratered economy and an ongoing public health crisis.

Laying the Groundwork for Cheaper Multi-Family Housing Construction
The processes of clearing land, building foundations, and making space for parking are three of the most expensive components of the construction process. Zoning can help reduce the costs to deliver more affordable housing supply.

Poverty Concentrating in Already High-Poverty Neighborhoods
A pair of reports analyzing U.S. Census Bureau poverty data from the last two decades show that high-poverty neighborhoods have become further impoverished.

Did the CDC Toll the Death Knell for Public Transit?
It's official—the nation's leading public health agency would prefer that Americans drive alone to work to reduce exposure to the coronavirus. New CDC guidance call for government to subsidize drive-alone and single ride-share commutes.

Making Space for the 'Invisible Cyclists' in Post-Pandemic Transportation Planning
As biking gains popularity as a transportation mode during the pandemic, planners are called on to elevate the role of "invisible cyclists"—people of color on bikes—in the process of redesigning and re-engineering streets.

U.S. Supreme Court Rules on State-Imposed Social Distancing Restrictions
In a 5-4 decision, the court voted to uphold the prohibition of religious services that was part of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order. While the restriction had since been loosened, the plaintiff wanted all restrictions removed.

The '30 by 30' Framework Sets an Ambitious Goal for Nature Conservation
California State Legislature committee approved AB 3030 in May, adopting a plan to save 30% of land and sea from development by the year 2030. The Convention on Biological Diversity is likely to follow in adopting the 30 by 30 framework.

Post-Pandemic Era of Shopping Malls Creates Opportunities for Downtowns
The COVID-19 pandemic and massive mall-retailer closings has left millions of highly skilled workers from the retail and food and beverage industries unemployed and eager to work. Many will seek to open their own businesses in downtowns.

Commandeered Buses, System Shutdowns—Transit on the Frontlines of Protests
The optics of public transit suffered over the weekend, as a few transit agencies have been commandeered by police and even shut down entirely with little or no notice, stranding protesters and essential workers alike.

The Urban Project: Urbanization, Urbanisms, and the Virus—A Historical Take
Perceptions of what makes density either "good" or "bad" have shifted over the years, and the pandemic is likely to precipitate another shift.
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