United States

Do Environmentalists Confuse Oil Production With Oil Demand?
Samantha Gross, the director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the Brookings Institution, argues that the key to reducing emissions is to do the hard work of reducing oil demand rather than focusing on ending U.S. oil drilling.

Quantifying the Impact of Pandemic Housing Assistance
The massive federal injection of funding into housing programs has had major impacts on many Americans’ ability to stay housed and out of debt, but fears loom as the end of some funding sources nears.

Feds To Investigate Autonomous Car Crashes
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into Cruise self-driving cars after four separate incidents that injured pedestrians in San Francisco.

The Role of ‘Anchor Institutions’ in the Housing Crisis
Major employers and economic drivers like universities can use various tools to make housing more affordable for their students and staff.

Parks Departments Try to Build New Green Spaces on Shrinking Budgets
Even as the role of parks and urban green space in public and ecological health becomes more apparent, city budgets are hard-pressed to meet the costs of park construction and maintenance.

Federal Rule Change Lets Banks Include ADU Income in Mortgage Decisions
A policy change from the Federal Housing Administration is designed to spur more rental housing construction and bring homeownership within reach of more U.S. households.

Opinion: The Arrogance of Social Media Urbanists
Criticism of ‘bad’ urban design and development policies leveled at ‘planners’ often obscures the complex nature of urban politics and land use regulations.

Report Quantifies the Potential Benefits of High-Speed Rail
Building more high-speed passenger rail in the United States could have significant economic and environmental impacts, creating jobs and reducing carbon emissions.

Restoring Solvency to the Highway Trust Fund
The Highway Trust Fund, the nation's source of road and bridge funding, went bankrupt in 2008 and has since relied on transfers from the General Fund to supplement fuel taxes. Republican Senators have proposed a new funding source: an EV fee.

Federal Grant Supports Rail Vehicle Modernization
The Federal Transit Administration announced a new round of Rail Vehicle Replacement grants.

The Mystique of the 13th Floor: Superstitions, Sustainability, and the Future of Electrical Building Design
How engineers adapt a common superstition to maximize the utility of a stigmatized space.

Parking Reform is Sweeping the Country. Does it Work?
A new study shows a significant reduction in housing construction costs in cities that have reduced or eliminated minimum parking requirements.

How to Kickstart an Urban Resurgence
In the age of remote work, relying on major employers to boost a city’s economic fortunes may no longer be enough.

Creating Affordable Housing is a Priority for ADU Owners
How accessory dwelling units can benefit homeowners and renters alike.

Solo Renters on the Rise Despite High Housing Costs
Between 2016 and 2021, the share of American tenants renting apartments and homes alone grew, with the fastest growth in Salt Lake City.

Office Vacancies at Federal Agencies as High as 75 Percent
Many federal agencies are sitting on underutilized buildings, causing a congressional committee to call into question the need for so much real estate.

Study: Households With Children Face Highest Risk of Eviction
U.S. renter families with children are evicted at a rate twice as high as those without children.

Flood Resilience Through Green Infrastructure
Cities like New York and Los Angeles are moving to build green infrastructure as the need for spongier urban spaces becomes more apparent.

Opinion: ADUs Are Not the Solution to the Housing Crisis
One writer argues that backyard homes can hinder community-building and relegate some residents to the shadows.

Hybrids Regain in Popularity Amid EV Cost and and Charging Concerns
After their sales dropped thanks to the introduction of all-electric vehicles, hybrid gas-electric cars are seeing a renaissance among consumers.
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