Urban Planning

In Houston Neighborhood Short on Parks, A Community Makes Its Own

Through building a park for the community, the dense, diverse Gulfton neighborhood finds ways to come together.

Sharing Space in the Modern City

OffCite | Debates about the "sharing economy" tap into fundamental questions about how we share space in a city.

How are parks created in Houston and why Houston isn't meeting its park goal

As the city grew, planners and developers didn't initially plan to embrace the landscape, but rather cover it with a pavement jungle.

New Report Documents Stages of Gentrification in Austin

Commissioned by the city council, a recent report considers which neighborhoods are most vulnerable to gentrification and which have already felt its impact.

Study: Northern Third Ward vs. Gentrification

In Houston's Third Ward, organizing against gentrification isn't just about property and displacement. It's also about building community capacity.

How the Walkable Places Committee Plans to Make Houston More Pedestrian Friendly

The Houston Walkable Places Committee aims to make the Bayou City a more pedestrian-friendly city one new construction at a time.

Urban Review: How To Comment on Proposed Policy, Making Texas Roads Safer and Protecting Aretha Franklin's Childhood Home

This week, a handy how-to guide on submitting comments on federal proposals, plus a call out to do just that at the state level to support safer roads in Texas and a look at a new park in Tulsa, an existing Dodger Stadium connection and more.

In Unearthed Mass Grave of Prison Laborers, Fast-Growing Houston Suburb Confronts Its Past

The Conversation | In theory, Texas law should protect these heritage sites.

Urban Review: Parking, A Football Oz and How To (Not) Write About Los Angeles

This week, new data on parking, a review of a fabricated sports city, the problem with work requirements and a lesson in writing about Los Angeles (and all cities).

Urban Review: Parks versus People, Prenatal Care in Texas and School to Prison Research

This week's roundup covers a new analysis of maternal risk factors across Texas, asks whether big park projects and the communities around them can get along, looks at law enforcement referrals in schools after high-profile shootings and even a Drake reference.

Toward a More Tolerant and Denser Houston

Survey results suggest attitudes about density are connected to attitudes about diversity, hinting at the Houston's future.

Urban Review: New Black Cities, Prop. 13 40 Years On and Texas' Migrant Child Detention Facilities

This week, a look at newly formed majority-black cities and some of the challenges they face, the legacy of Prop. 13 according to California residents and a map documenting the migrant children being held across Texas.

In Houston, What Can Urbanists Learn from Food?

After Anthony Bourdain's death, writers reflected on his legacy, including how he shined a light on often marginalized people through food. Beyond celebrating it, though, urbanists should dig deeper into the stories food and culture can tell.

Urban Review: Robot Work, Documenting Detention Centers and World Cup

This week, World Cup kicks off, experts ponder a future of robot work and a new report looks at detention centers across Texas and what happens to the people held inside them.

In Dense Gulfton, Walkability, Safety Improvements Needed

Walking the streets of Houston's densest neighborhood reveals a lack of adequate infrastructure and serious safety hazards.