Houston

Coronavirus

City vs. State: Mayors Want Power to Require Mask Wearing to Slow Coronavirus Spread

Coronavirus cases are surging in the Lone Star State's urban areas, so mayors of nine of its largest cities asked Greg Abbott for the power to mandate the wearing of masks or facial coverings, prohibited by executive order, to slow viral spread.

June 21, 2020 - The Texas Tribune

Houston, Texas

Interstate 45 Realignment Would Cut Through a Historic Black Neighborhood in Houston

A plan to realign Interstate 45 in Houston has been criticized as a highway boondoggle as well as a failure of racial and social equity, and recent protests have only amplified the latter criticisms of the project.

June 9, 2020 - Streetsblog USA

Texas

Dallas Eyes Big Property Tax Increase to Cover COVID-19 Losses

Dallas will need voter approval to overcome tax increase obstacles put in place by the Texas State Legislature.

May 31, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

Bangkok, Thailand

Second Wave or Second Peak?

The terminology of the coronavirus pandemic isn't applied consistently, particularly when dealing with areas seeing a resurgence of infection after states have relaxed social distancing restrictions. The World Health Organization added some clarity.

May 27, 2020 - Reuters

Coronavirus

Religion in the Pandemic: First Amendment vs. Public Health and Safety

Conflicts between church and state are being decided in state and federal courts as governors act to protect their constituents from the coronavirus while religious institutions and their supporters seek exceptions from social gathering restrictions.

May 24, 2020 - The Oregonian

Hurricane Harvey Flooding

First Climate Action Plan Released in Houston

The planning legacy of Hurricane Harvey is becoming more clear in Houston, after the city released its first-ever Houston Climate Action Plan, just months after releasing the Resilient Houston plan.

April 28, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Houston, Texas

Texas Losing its Housing Affordability Advantage

Trends pre-dating Covid-19 showed housing affordability slipping away from many residents in Texas. The pandemic will likely only exacerbate the trend, according to this analysis.

April 15, 2020 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Townhouses

Gentrification Architecture—It’s Baffling

Critics say the design of homes that come with gentrification is too often uninspired, incompatible, and downright ugly.

March 16, 2020 - The Texas Observer

Texas Central

Eminent Domain Challenges Remain for Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project

While Texas Central's plan to build a high-speed rail link between Houston and Dallas has already dealt with years of opposition from rural communities, big fights over the use of eminent domain have yet to begin.

March 10, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

The Windy City

No Slowdown of Out-Migration of Black Residents from Chicago

The city of Chicago continues to see a decline in population, including tens of thousands of African-Americans who have left in recent years.

March 4, 2020 - The New York Times

Houston Metro Bus

A First for Houston: Chief Transportation Planner

The newly created position of Chief Transportation Planner for the city of Houston is tasked with working with multiple levels of government to help shift Houston away from its car-centric model.

February 28, 2020 - Community Impact Newspaper

Houston

Refugees Learn to Survive as Pedestrians on Houston's Dangerous Streets

For one refugee family, living in Houston has meant facing a host of new challenges as they traverse the city’s roadways without a car.

February 20, 2020 - Texas Monthly

Houston

'Resilient Houston' Plan Released

The 186-page "Resilient Houston" document was released to the public in the nation's fourth largest city, which is facing numerous environmental stresses.

February 18, 2020 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Buffalo Bayou Park

Planning Without Zoning: The Houston Story

Houston is famous in planning circles for lacking a zoning code, but that doesn't mean planners don't have plenty of tools to determine the future of the city.

February 4, 2020 - Planning Magazine

I-45 and I-69

I-45 Widening Plan Nears the Finish Line in Houston

The public is getting a chance to give feedback on the city's proposed changes to a project that would realign and widen Interstate 45 near downtown Houston.

January 30, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

I-45 and I-69

Houston More Expensive Than New York? Not So Fast

A recent study claiming that transportation costs in Houston, among other expenses, raise the cost of living almost to the same level as living in New York City. Some took exception to the study's methodology.

January 29, 2020 - E21

Houston Third Ward

Gentrification in Houston Outpaces Other Texas Cities

Gentrification is transforming Houston faster than Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

January 24, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Houston Metro

Houston Just as Expensive as New York City, Study Says

The extra costs of automobile dependency turn assumptions about affordability on their head, according to a recently published report by the Citizens Budget Commission.

January 21, 2020 - Texas Monthly

Houston Metro Bus

Houston Will Not Be a Fare-Free Transit City

In case anyone was getting carried away with the idea of fare-free transit, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County has some cold water to pour on the conversation.

January 20, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Street Redesign

A Major Makeover for Houston Street

Bagby Street in Houston will soon have wider sidewalks and a new bike lane.

January 16, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

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.