United States

Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.

HUD Grants Support Housing and Infrastructure in Native Communities
The department announced $95 million in funding for housing renovations, infrastructure projects, and community facilities.

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

National Crash Testing Standards Could Start Including Pedestrian Safety
The NHTSA is proposing new guidance that would, after years of demands from safety advocates, include pedestrian safety assessments in crash test requirements.

Assessing the Racial Home Valuation Gap
Research shows that homes in communities of color are consistently undervalued by, in some cases, over $1 million.

How Hot is Too Hot?
While they may not sound extreme, temperatures over 90 degrees can easily pose fatal risks and could have long-term impacts on public health.

The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”
HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.

New Yorkers Need Land. NYPD is Sitting on Nearly 150 Lots.
A new map reveals how much land in New York City is being wasted by city police—often sitting vacant, rather than serving the public good.

New Federal Program To Support Services for Unhoused Residents
The ‘ALL INside’ initiative selected five cities and one state—California—for its inaugural efforts to offer assistance to homelessness services and help local agencies access federal funding and resources.

Lower Basin States Closer to Agreement on Colorado River
After a year of contentious negotiations, Western states dependent on the river’s water supply are nearing a deal that would reduce water use significantly over the next three years.

The Softer Side Of Shoupism
Journalist Harry Grabar takes Prof. Don Shoup's economic theories about parking (and over-parking) and illustrates them with compelling—and terrifying—stories about the role parking plays in America's cities.

FHWA Issues New Pedestrian, Bike, Micromobility Guidance
The updated federal guidelines incorporate new policies created in the 2021 infrastructure law.

Essay: How Poor Pedestrian Planning Harms Families
A lack of safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure can drive young families away from places that don’t accommodate car-free residents.

Public Transit Gets the Swiftie Bump
Taylor Swift fans are flocking to public transit to attend her concerts, breaking ridership records in cities around the country. Will they keep using transit after the show?

Census: Texas Home to Fastest-Growing Cities
Census Bureau data reveals strong growth in large and small Texas cities, while major metros continue to draw residents.

Bipartisan Congressional Group Introduces Affordable Housing Bill
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are supporting a bill that would increase the number of federal affordable housing credits available and streamline the development process for affordable housing projects.

Plan for U.S.-Canada EV Corridor Announced
U.S. and Canadian officials revealed plans for an electric vehicle charging network that will connect Kalamazoo and Quebec City with EV chargers every 50 miles.

Flaws in Federal Clean Transit Programs
Two programs designed to help transit agencies shift to electric and zero-emission fleets contain rules that could slow the adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

Is Twitter Still an Effective Planning Tool?
Twitter has been a daily dose of drama and upheaval ever since Elon Musk offered to pay over $40 billion to buy the social media platform. Media outlets and public transit agencies had been abandoning the social media platform—should planners?

In Defense of Rent Control
Rent control policies, widely panned by economists, have been shown to slow displacement and keep housing affordable.
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