What Is an Urbanist? The term urbanist has been around for decades, though it has gained traction in recent years among certain circles. At its simplest, “urbanist” describes someone who takes a keen interest in cities and the built environment. But more specifically, it identifies a group that aligns with
I recently finished rereading Jane Jacobs’ The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It wasn’t my first encounter with the book. I first read it in graduate school over 15 years ago. At the time, it was eye-opening. I wasn’t particularly familiar with the planning profession then,
Automobiles are undeniably a significant part of American life. Consequently, accommodating them with roadways and parking lots has come to dominate much of the American built environment, often prioritizing convenience over aesthetics. In an effort to promote desirable outcomes like walkability and the revival of traditional commercial corridors, planners have
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that developers and home builders in California may challenge the fees commonly imposed by cities and counties to pay for new roads, schools, sewers and other public improvements. The justices said these “impact fees” may be unconstitutional if builders and developers are forced to pay
“The rent is too damn high and we don’t have enough damn housing," the governor declared from a rostrum in the Capitol building, drawing a standing applause from some lawmakers. "So our response is simple: build, baby, build — let’s go!” I came across this article tonight
Having worked in both Detroit and Portland for roughly half of my career each, I do a fair bit of comparing and contrasting. Although you’d be hard pressed to find two American cities as different as these two, here are five surprising similarities. 1. Similar Populations Despite having wildly
ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units, are usually small housing units people build in their basements, backyards, or above their garages to accommodate family or to rent out for supplemental income. So-called “missing middle" housing (from here on referred to Middle Housing) are all those housing types that are Goldilocks-sized,
Why write about what urban planners believe instead of what urban planners do? Simply put, because what planners believe and what planners do are often at odds with one another. Most urban planners in the United States work for one of the 89,000 local units of government, each with
Hello, and happy new year! I'm Bryan and I’m an urban planner and affordable housing advocate living in Portland, Oregon. I hold a Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.) degree from the University of Michigan and have worked in the planning and community development fields for