Introduction to Urban Planning

Wicked urban problems are all around us, often in the news surrounded by controversy. This assignment
requires you to analyze the news and identify an example of a “wicked” urban problem making headlines.
Completing the Report
Search the news for articles addressing urban issues that fit the three criteria for “wicked” problems discussed
in class. Identify a specific real-life example (NOT the South Mountain Freeway) that illustrates the “wicked”
nature of planning. The case-study you find can be local or in another city, and can relate to any of the
functional areas of planning (e.g. transportation, housing, economic development, environmental planning,
etc.). You must find a minimum of three sources of information about your specific case study, not just articles
that discuss wicked problems in general.
Write an analysis report that clearly addresses the following for the case study you identified:
--Explain the background of the urban planning problem being addressed and the stakeholders involved
--Discuss why the problem is a “wicked” one:
--In what ways are the causes of the problem uncertain?
--Why is there no obvious solution to the problem?
--How is the problem (or solution) linked to other problems?
Your written report should be roughly two single-spaced pages in length.
Your report must be structured using the following headings and subheadings:
 Background
 Wickedness of Problem
 Uncertainty of Causes
 Lack of Obvious Solutions
 Links to Other Problems