Houston

Houston Third Ward

A Tour of Houston's Rapidly Gentrifying Neighborhoods

These Houston communities have experienced the most dramatic demographic changes in the last decade, according to new Census data.

September 27, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Aerial view of Houston Ship Channel with container ships

Why Texas's $29 Billion Coastal Protection Plan Is Needed

The Houston Chronicle editorial board argues for the construction of the so-called 'Ike Dike,' but warns that more investment is needed to protect the South Texas coast from future storms.

September 24, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Houston Metro

Can Houston Rein In Its Famous Sprawl?

The city's unabated growth has made it a bustling hub of industry and commerce, but can it sustain its unmitigated outward sprawl?

August 31, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Houston

Houston Transit Agency Moves Forward With Long-Range Plan Even as Revenue Falls

Despite reduced ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston Metro is pushing ahead with its $7.5 billion long-range transit plan.

August 29, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Downtown Houston pedestrians

Houston's Pedestrian Death Problem, Explained

The city's roadways were built to prioritize fast-moving traffic, not safety. With a new Vision Zero plan, that could change.

August 5, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Houston Light Rail Transit

Houston Plans New Downtown Bus-Only Lanes

The lull in commuter traffic during the pandemic gave Houston's transit agencies time to implement new projects and redesign downtown roads to better accommodate transit users.

August 4, 2021 - The Houston Chronicle

Texas Flood

Flood Buyouts Exacerbate Inequality in Harris County, Texas

New research shows that less affluent households disperse farther to find affordable homes, leading to a loss of community and social capital.

July 19, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Downtown Houston

12 Developments That Will Change Houston Forever

Major upcoming projects include Hewlett Packard's new global headquarters, a 'boardwalk district' in Katy, and massive housing developments.

July 14, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Suburban Home

The Link Between COVID-19 Deaths and Overcrowded Housing

Overcrowding and housing insecurity among Black and Brown communities led to disproportionately high COVID-19 fatalities, research shows.

July 8, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Houston Texas

Harris County Will Use Toll Road Revenue to Pay for Flood Control

A new Flood Resilience Trust will create a permanent source of funding for flood control purposes, but the county still faces a shortfall for planned projects.

July 6, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Texas Central

Contracts Signed, Funding Still TBD: Texas Central High-Speed Rail Moves Forward

Texas Central has its construction contracts and a court decision in its favor, but significant obstacles remain for the high-speed rail project connecting Houston and Dallas to get underway.

June 23, 2021 - Railway Age

A photo of protesters on the front lawn of the Ohio Statehouse during the State of the Union speech by Governer Kasich.

Coronavirus Legislation: Vaccine Choice or Anti-Vax?

If vaccines provide the means out of the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy and opposition threaten to prolong it. Battles over public health are being fought in courtrooms and statehouses like in Ohio, where a 'vaccine choice' bill is being considered.

June 15, 2021 - The Columbus Dispatch

Mass Vaccination

Coronavirus Litigation: Can Employers Require Employee Vaccinations?

The plaintiffs in one of the nation's first court cases over employer-required COVID vaccinations are among the heroes of the pandemic—nurses fighting to remain unvaccinated. Houston Methodist Hospital suspended unvaccinated employees on June 6.

June 10, 2021 - JD Supra

Mt. Rainier

2020 Population Growth Rates for the 50 Biggest U.S. Cities

The Census Bureau released new data on May 27 that includes the first four months of the pandemic. Seattle tops the growth rate at 2.2% from July 1, 2019, to July 1, 2020, while Baltimore and San Francisco land at the bottom with -1.4%.

June 4, 2021 - The Seattle Times

Downtown Houston and Buffalo Bayou

New Park Opens as Part of Houston's Ambitious Bayou Greenways 2020 Plan

Bayou Greenways Park is part of a decade-long project building 172 miles of connected greenways around the city of Houston.

May 30, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Domed stadium in Houston, Texas

Renewed Efforts to Redevelop Houston's Historic Astrodome

A nonprofit hopes to create a viable plan for the iconic stadium—and find a way to pay for it.

May 26, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Junction of U.S. Route 59 and Interstate 10, Houston, Texas

I-10 Widening Project Continues in Texas

The current work will expand the freeway to three lanes in each direction and shift a notorious bottleneck farther west.

May 20, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Houston, Construction

Watch: Debunking Myths About Houston's Lack of Zoning

A video published last week by City Beautiful reveals the myths and misconceptions of Houston's land use regulation system.

April 29, 2021 - City Beautiful

Aerial view of Houston Ship Channel with container ships

Exxon Wants 'Financial Incentive' for $100 Billion Carbon Capture Hub

The company's proposed $100 billion carbon capture project would require a "large-scale" public-private partnership and could capture up to 100 million tons of carbon per year.

April 27, 2021 - Houston Chronicle

Buffalo Bayou Park

Houston Residents Want to Build Pocket Parks on City-Owned Lots

In a park-poor neighborhood, vacant lots provide an untapped opportunity for small-scale parks.

April 26, 2021 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.