Land Use
![Zebra crosswalk with raised curb extensions and bioswale on small street with parked cars and mature trees.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Bioswale_and_curb_extension_with_cutouts_%2838067594726%29.jpg.webp?itok=EE5COAoa)
How Capturing Rainwater Can Make Cities Safer, More Resilient
Green infrastructure can help prevent flooding and replenish groundwater supplies, preventing subsidence that makes land sink.
![Black-and-white photo of street with old black model T and brick building on the corner.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/1024px-View_looking_north_on_Taylor_Avenue_from_the_intersection_of_Fairfax_Avenue_%28C.D._Banks_Avenue%29._Gruber%27s_Saloon_and_Buffet_is_at_1038_North_Taylor_Avenue.jpg.webp?itok=FJWZNW7c)
The History of Racial Zoning and Housing Discrimination in the US
More than a century of discriminatory housing policy divided cities and contributed to the racial wealth gap and other social and economic inequities.
![Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_164230531.jpeg.webp?itok=ywgb0_Ui)
Commentary: San Antonio Needs ‘Thoughtful Reforms’ to Improve Affordability
The growing Texas city needs a new approach to meet its residents’ housing and mobility needs.
![Aerial view of glass high-rise buildings on waterfront in Vancouver, British Columbia.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_588697180.jpeg.webp?itok=PykZU50v)
Video: How Tall Should Buildings Be?
Is there an ideal height — or should buildings be as tall as they need to be to fulfill housing needs?
![Silver train at station on elevated track with city high-rises in the background.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_598319234.jpeg.webp?itok=I9UUF1mk)
How Federal Policy Can Encourage TOD
Tying transit and land acquisition funding together could help produce more housing near transit hubs.
![Aerial view of mobile home being moved in a mobile home park by a red truck.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_461925434.jpeg.webp?itok=1LfdbxZg)
Opinion: Make Way for Manufactured Housing
Manufactured homes can be an affordable and accessible solution to the housing crisis, but they’re zoned out of many U.S. neighborhoods.
![Graphic of person's hands with 2024 in middle against backdrop of city skyline and golden hour sky with rays coming through.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_638947575.jpeg.webp?itok=w40PtrdL)
Planning Trends to Watch in 2024
Post-pandemic clarity — and sheer necessity — may be bringing some of the most urgent issues of recent years to a head.
![People sitting at small tables in a public parklet in Minneapolis, Minnesota.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Minneapolis%20parklet.jpg.webp?itok=ZNRLZA_5)
Minneapolis Opens 2024 Parklet Season
The program supports nonprofits and other groups who want to build parklets and outdoor dining spaces on public right-of-way.
![Close-up of mobile phone with Airbnb and VRBO app icons.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_449115350_Editorial_Use_Only.jpeg.webp?itok=BS5gyPP4)
Running Rampant: How Short-Term Rentals Impact Communities With Loose Restrictions
Brendan O’Brien, author of “Homesick,” talks with us about his new book and what he's learned about the effects of short-term rentals in communities like Flagstaff, Arizona; Bozeman, Montana; and St. George, Utah.
![Green Tempe streetcar with downtown Tempe glass building in background.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_556695317_Editorial_Use_Only.jpeg.webp?itok=Mc2ORUAi)
Opinion: Tempe ‘Diamond in the Rough’ for Walkability
One Arizona State University student urges peers to take advantage of the city’s growing public transit system to get to class without paying for costly parking.
![CPKC sports stadium under construction in Kansas City, Missouri.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/KC_Current_Stadium_from_I-29_%2853143499105%29.jpg.webp?itok=Y6oLvtpX)
New Kansas City Stadium Offers Limited Parking
Unlike many sports arenas surrounded by seas of concrete, the new CPKC Stadium has parking for just 2,000 vehicles, hoping most sports fans will arrive by transit.
![Aerial view of rooftop of 25 Water Street building in New York City with redevelopment work going on on rooftop.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/25_Water_St_August_2023_top_floor_redevelopment_1.jpg.webp?itok=gX3rSNS_)
5 Office Conversions Making Waves in 2024
Adaptive reuse projects are transforming underutilized office space into mixed-use hubs of housing and commerce.
![View of small pedestrian bridge in Prescott Preserve Palm Springs, California with palm tree oasis and mountains in background.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Prescott%20Preserve%20PS.jpg.webp?itok=-DsaU3rK)
Rewilding the Golf Course
How former golf courses are being transformed from manicured lawns to vibrant habitats.
![Aerial view of Ashland, Oregon.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_357396792.jpeg.webp?itok=ST_AkwB9)
Facing Housing Crisis, Oregon Could Alter its Historic Land Use Law
A 1973 state law creates urban growth boundaries that limit urban sprawl, but rising housing costs are causing lawmakers to consider a one-time expansion.
![Bus Station](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Charlottesville-Transit.jpg.webp?itok=8JnOPGMv)
Charlottesville Adopts New Zoning Code
The revised ordinance calls for higher density and more affordable housing.
![Paved walkways with wood benches in green city park with large trees.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_116353621.jpeg.webp?itok=lQLVyhcL)
Considering Mindfulness as an Urban Planner's Tool
A recent blog post in Substack considers the appropriation of mindfulness to urban observation and, implicitly, urban planning today.
![Row of parked cars along curb.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_307549086.jpeg.webp?itok=9uJwCBwN)
Video: How Much Should Parking Cost?
Variable parking pricing can offer some of the same benefits as congestion pricing.
![Screen shot of map from Wisconsin PFAS Interactive Data Viewer.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screenshot%202024-02-19%20at%2014-37-01%20Wisconsin%20PFAS%20Interactive%20Data%20Viewer.png.webp?itok=Dn3msJeC)
New Book Highlights How GIS Improves Outcomes
Esri Press recently published a digital book called Mapping the Nation which demonstrates how a geographic approach guides important decisions and addresses challenges around the globe.
![Multistory parking garage in downtown Denver, Colorado.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_369165073.jpeg.webp?itok=4kbDklVp)
Colorado Bill Would End Minimum Parking Requirements
Supporters of the bill say eliminating parking mandates would make housing more affordable and reduce carbon emissions.
![Looking up at a modern glass skyscraper with green tree next to it.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_385654899.jpeg.webp?itok=IDPhhCuN)
The Benefits of Trees
In addition to all the economically valuable services they provide, trees are beautiful as pure aesthetic objects and a welcome presence in any landscape.
Pagination
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Malibu
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning & Policy Commission
Tulare County Association of Governments
Colorado Energy Office
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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.
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