Social / Demographics

Elderly woman enters house with help from caregiver who is holding her hands

The Challenges of Aging in Place

Seniors in one Bay Area community want to stay in their communities, but many find the cost of living and maintaining older homes prohibitive.

June 5, 2023 - Palo Alto Online

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

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.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Aerial view of homes west of downtown Chicago, Illinois

Assessing the Racial Home Valuation Gap

Research shows that homes in communities of color are consistently undervalued by, in some cases, over $1 million.

May 24, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Vancouver Chuck Wolfe

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown

In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

May 24, 2023 - GeekWire

Makeshift shelter built by unhoused person against a tree using pallets, blue tarps, fabric, and other debris in wooded area in Seattle, Washington

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.

May 22, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of single-family homes in Houston suburb with setting sun in background

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.

May 21, 2023 - U.S. Census Bureau

U-Haul moving van parked by a curb in San Francisco with mattress leaning against it

More People Are Leaving Coastal Cities

Rising housing costs and the growth of more urbanized, amenity-rich small metros are driving college-educated workers away from “superstar cities.”

May 16, 2023 - The New York Times

White obelisk monument with Japanese writing at Manzanar Historic Site, former internment camp, California

Ten Parks and Sites for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History

Learn more about some of the parks and historic sites that preserve and share the stories of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander people and communities in the U.S.

May 15, 2023 - The Wilderness Society

The granite exterior of the Nordstrom store in San Francisco.

Recent Retail Closures in U.S. Cities Follow Trends Established Before the Pandemic

While some cling to debatable claims about higher crime rates as the cause for recent high-profile store closures in U.S. downtowns, the real reasons are more realistically extensions of the causes of the “retail apocalypse” from the before times.

May 15, 2023 - CNN

COnceptual banner featuring Asian Americans against an American flag backdrop

Insights From a New Survey of Asians in the U.S.

The Pew Research Center has just released the results of a new poll of Asians in America, the country's fastest growing racial and ethnic group in recent years.

May 15, 2023 - National Public Radio

Monotone photo of man waiting on subway platform with blurry train passing by and other passengers walking by

How Can Urban Planning Address the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’?

The U.S. Surgeon General is sounding the alarm about the health effects of isolation. Planners have a role to play in rebuilding our “social infrastructure.”

May 14, 2023 - Angie Schmitt

People on bikes and sitting on ledge on Pittsburgh riverfront with arched bridge in background

Pittsburgh Aims for Equitable Mobility

A two-year pilot program aims to provide an integrated, multimodal, and affordable transportation system across the city combining transit, bikes, e-scooters, and other options.

May 11, 2023 - Government Technology

Red bridge with arches over highway with white letters spanning bridge "Peachtree Corners" near Atlanta, Georgia

The Changing Geography of Housing Segregation

Racial segregation in housing is growing and shifting as affluent enclaves form new incorporated cities and options for affordable housing in cities become more limited.

May 11, 2023 - Joint Center for Housing Studies

Large suburban homes on cul-de-sac in Maryland against sunset sky

Remote Work and the Shift to Suburbia

Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’

May 10, 2023 - Fortune

View of back of moving van with back door open, loaded with boxes, next to a line of two-story apartment buildings.

Low-Income Residents Less Likely to Move During the Pandemic, Freddie Mac Says

Does low-income residents staying put in large metro areas, relative to higher-income groups, mean that low-income households are missing out on affordable housing options? Freddie Mac researchers think so.

May 9, 2023 - Freddie Mac

Close-up of pedestrian crossing button at a crosswalk in Los Angeles

Report: Racial Gap in Traffic Deaths Persists

Communities of color have significantly higher rates of traffic fatalities, according to federal research.

May 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

View of field of blooming orange poppies in Antelope Valley, California

L.A.’s 30x30 Goals: Conservation and Restoration

Learn more about Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) which focuses on land conservation and restoration, regional recreation, and rural recreation to address climate change, protect biodiversity, and meet the needs of residents. 

May 8, 2023 - Parks & Rec Business

View from back of young man sitting on concrete bench overlooking blurred city at sunrise or sunset

New Report on Loneliness and Isolation

A new advisory from the Surgeon General declares that there is an epidemic of loneliness in the United States and that lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

May 8, 2023 - National Public Radio

Cover of Los Angeles County 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus

The Growing Importance of Data Storytelling

Data storytelling refers to the ability to effectively communicate insights from data using narratives and visualizations. When done right, it can be used to put data insights into context and inspire action from decisionmakers.

May 7, 2023 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Wheelchair ramp at outdoor train station

ADA Compliance Slowly Makes Headway

Decades of advocacy are paying off, but it often takes legal action to force cities to make accessibility improvements mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act over thirty years ago.

May 4, 2023 - Diana Ionescu

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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