Controversies
The Four Kinds of Housing that Help the Homeless
Projects to add housing resources to help give homeless people a roof over the head have run into all sorts of public opposition—often times fueled by ignorance of how different kinds of homeless housing options work.
Court Ruling Clears $1.9 Billion in Public Money for Atlanta Mega-Project
A $5 billion redevelopment project in Atlanta, named Centennial Yards, will receive substantial public support.
ADU Controversy in Montgomery County, Maryland
The Montgomery County Council is preparing to vote on an amendment that would loosen restrictions on the controversial building type known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
10 Bike Lane Myths, Debunked
Bike advocates have been countering misleading anti-bike lane arguments for months now, but in case you needed a reminder, here's a sample of how opponents to bake lane projects get the realities of riding a bike wrong.
Trump's Remarks on Homeless Make Cities an Ideological Battlefield
President Donald Trump has low opinions on the state of a few very specific cities.
Consensus on Changes to Property Tax Abatement Too Challenging for Philadelphia
Despite over a year of proposals, counter proposals, and heated debate, the city of Philadelphia has yet to broker a breakthrough on proposed reforms to the city's ten-year property tax abatement program.
Updated: Census Citizenship Question Officially Cancelled
The U.S. Department of Commerce was not successful in achieving a highly consequential change to the 2020 Census form, after the Supreme Court ruled it needed a better reason to make the change.
Oakland Keeps its DOT, Moves Forward With Innovative Street Repaving Plan
The city of Oakland had a particularly tough budget approval process this year. The future of capital investments in the city's transportation system was at stake.
Updated: Supreme Court Falls Short of Clarity on Census Citizenship Question
Those hoping for resolution of a major controversy impacting the 2020 Census, and all of the governance and policy decisions that depend on it, will have to wait.
When it Comes to Road Diets, Evidence Doesn't Matter
Drivers are a powerful enough lobby to overcome all evidence of the need to redesign streets for safety. Examples from Maryland and Virginia provide the latest case studies in Vision Zero futility.
Public Outcry Greets Plan to Connect L.A. to Pasadena via Bus Rapid Transit
Voters might have approved transit funding multiple measures by wide margins in Los Angeles County in recent years, but actual project proposals still have trouble appealing at the hyper-local level.
HUD Says Dallas Owes Millions for Mismanaging Housing Funds
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is accusing Dallas of mismanagement of funds, and wants its money back.
The Devil's in the Details for Houston's Hobby Line Light Rail Planning
Several alternative routes are still under consideration for a planned light rail route included in Houston's METRONext long-range transit plan, in progress ahead of a vote by residents in November.
For Lack of Density: Ontario Rejects Toronto's Downtown Plan
Local control loses ground to provincial preemption north of the border.
Opposing Bike Lanes in the Name of Historic Preservation
Can a bike lane threaten the historic character of a parkway? One group of local advocates in Denver thinks so.
Department of Transportation Caught in Political Tug of War in Oakland
The political debate surrounding the future of Oakland's streets has recently turned up a notch.
Soccer Stadium Development Opposition Grows to a Neighborhood-Level Movement
Displacement concerns surrounding stadium plans for the FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer team have grown into a citywide call for development approvals reform.
Elon Musk and BART Go Toe to Toe (on Twitter)
Transit agencies and advocates are developing a genre of criticism that could be described as calling Elon Musk on his BS. Musk still has plenty of support on social media.
State Supreme Court Upholds Food Truck Regulations in Chicago
A question of whose business is suppressing whose in the city of Chicago was decided by the State Supreme Court.
Soccer Stadium Plans Amended Over Concerns About Displacement in Cincinnati
Planning Commissioners in Cincinnati talked a lot about the severed trust between the city, residents, and the Major League Soccer team FC Cincinnati at a hearing last week.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.
