Social Life Project, from the Project for Public Spaces community, writes short essays on what makes public spaces lively, using concrete examples like a Midtown park corner, landscaping choices and tree-guard benches in Brooklyn. Readers get a clear argument for people-first urban design along with practical examples of what works and what does not.
Website: https://www.sociallifeproject.org/
Torched is a Los Angeles-focused newsletter by journalist Alissa Walker that tracks the city's preparations for the 2028 Olympics, along with local politics, infrastructure and urban planning. Issues combine firsthand reporting from hearings and press events with commentary on accountability and transparency.
Max Tabarrok's blog covers economics, science, philosophy and progress through long-form critical essays. Recent issues dissect a philosophy paper on wages and desert, a debate over elasticity and highway versus housing policy, and a study of how the Endangered Species Act restricts housing construction.
A personal newsletter by Ben Southwood on housing, planning, architecture, local government and policy reform in the UK. It mixes original argument and personal history with pointers to longer pieces, such as his Works in Progress articles on radiation safety and land reform.
Local news coverage of Richmond, California, including city council agendas, weekly police incident roundups and neighborhood development disputes. Readers get specific, locally sourced detail on city decisions, public safety and transportation projects.
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