United States
Job Losses Strike a Blow to Gig Economy Darlings
Uber and Airbnb both announced massive layoffs this week, after Lyft did the same last week, as the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on very contemporary corners of the economy.
Viral Inequality and Climate Justice
Several cities have modeled an economic recovery that centers environmental justice. Political will is necessary to ensure a safer and healthier future for all communities.
Research on the Benefits and Limitations of Telecommuting to Inform a New Transportation Normal
If public transit suffers long-term consequences from the coronavirus, as many experts predict, telecommuting could be a key tool in reducing pollution and congestion, but it creates problems of its own and its effects aren't entirely clear.
Home Prices Expected to Hit a Coronavirus Speed Bump in 2020
A report by Zillow predicts a sudden reversal for the housing market, which has been soaring in many places around the country ever since the worst of the financial crisis and housing market crash of the Great Recession.
Early Economic Effects of COVID-19 Concentrated in Large Metros
Big cities suffered the worst economic effects if the pandemic as of March, according to April data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
San Diego City Council President Champions Equitable and Inclusive COVID Response
San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez discusses the critical value of providing accessible and factual information and resources to the city’s diverse constituents during this unprecedented public health crisis.
Campaign to Cancel Rent Raises Questions for the Affordable Housing Movement
What would it actually mean to cancel rent?
Social Distancing Is Not a Novel Concept
Initial research on social isolation as a method to combat contagious disease included a high-school science fair project modeling social networks. Doctors learned that the spread of disease could be decelerated by disrupting these networks.
Traffic Fatalities Decline for a Third-Straight Year 2019, According to New Data
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System released its preliminary estimates this week.
The Four Horsemen of the 'Fiscal' Apocalypse
Rick Cole identifies the Four Horsemen of the 'Fiscal' Apocalypse: Cratering Revenue, Neglected Infrastructure, Pension Debt, and Community Need, as heralds ushering the reinvention of city services to meet the needs of today’s urban realities.
Forecasts for New U.S. COVID Cases and Deaths Skyrocket
A draft report from the CDC projects that new cases will grow to 200,000 and deaths to 3,000 – daily, by June 1. The model the White House coronavirus task force uses has increased the projected deaths to nearly 135,000 by early August.
Lessons From the Great Recession
Professionals working in the built and natural environments have been through tough times before. A recent webinar offered a few prominent urban designers a chance to discuss how they coped with the last big economic downturn.
Americans Would Prefer to Drive Themselves After the Pandemic, Survey Says
A massive survey on the sentiments of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic reports that many people are less likely to ride public transit, or rely on Uber and Lyft, in the future.
J. Crew the First National Apparel Chain to Fall During the Pandemic; More Expected to Follow
Another brutal chapter of the retail apocalypse is underway.
Poll: One-Third of Americans Thinking of Moving to Less Densely Populated Areas
In the midst of the pandemic, Americans are expressing a new preference for less crowded spaces, according to the results of a Harris Poll conducted last week.
Report: Expect to Live with Two More Years of Social Distancing
As a majority of states relax stay-at-home restrictions, a prestigious team of experts from the University of Minnesota, Harvard and Tulane universities warns that the coronavirus will likely last 18 to 24 more months, returning in successive waves.
Owner-Renter Hybrid, a Viable Homeownership Alternative?
In the co-investing model, companies are part owners of homes. While this arrangement gives potential homebuyers more options, this isn’t a real solution to the country’s housing affordability crisis.
Urban Planning Resources for COVID-19
Online misinformation has been unavoidable, but the Internet is also full of tools essential for understanding the changed world of COVID-19.
U.S. EPA Rolling Back Science-Based Regulation Under Cover of COVID
Contentious policy revisions at the Environmental Protection Agency roll back data-guided policies under the Trump administration.
Mass Evictions Predicted as Short-Term Economic Relief Runs Out
Another month, another rental payment crisis for millions of Americans.
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
