Each Friday, the Wagner Planner editorial board will publish a news roundup of recent planning news. Topics range the gamut of urban planning concentrations, but will mostly be at the discretion of the editor.

Jane Jacobs v. Robert Moses—the story is more surprising than you think

“Jane Jacobs wasn’t opposed to data-driven decisions, she just believed data should be used differently, according to a new book that is about data for the public good.” (Fast Company)

 

What Will Happen to Cities in 2021

“Next summer could be surprisingly unburdened by the pandemic, which is not the same as saying it will be normal. The world that emerges from our year of plague will be altered, in subtle and dramatic ways. No one should be overconfident about exactly how the pandemic will change lives in the long run. But there are little augurs everywhere—headlines, data points, and statistics that portend shifts in the way we work, the look of urban streetscapes, the state of the economy, and the future of media.” (The Atlantic)

 

Climate Inequality Exists in U.S. Cities and Has Deep Racist Roots

“Lower-income residents and people of color are more likely to live in the hottest neighborhoods in cities across the country, putting them at greater risk of heat-related illnesses and death.  A trio of studies presented yesterday at the American Geophysical Union’s annual fall meeting underscored that sobering point.” (Scientific American)