CNU Utah

04/07/2026

04/07/2026

04/07/2026

Now is the time to register for CNU 34 which is being held in NW Arkansas this year. Anyone that has attended a CNU Congress understands the benefits. Anyone who hasn't attended a CNU Congress should consider this one. A link to the Congress schedule is below:
https://www.cnu.org/sites/default/files/CNU%2034%20Visual%20Schedule%20%281%29.pdf

Living up to its name, CNU34 will take place in multiple locations across the two largest cities in the NWA region: Bentonville and Fayetteville. You can learn more about the vibe of each place by reading the Public Square articles linked. Below is an updated At A Glance schedule and details about h...

01/30/2026

If you’re looking for evidence that neighborhood design is opportunity policy, this is worth your time.

The recent CNU piece on HOPE VI highlights research showing that mixed-income, New Urbanist-inflected revitalization didn’t just change buildings—it changed life outcomes. The finding is hard to ignore: children who grew up in revitalized HOPE VI neighborhoods saw meaningful long-run earnings gains, with each year of childhood exposure associated with higher adult earnings—and those exposed from birth seeing dramatically larger lifetime impacts.

What can be appreciated most is the mechanism the article emphasizes: connection. The strongest gains were linked to stronger social ties and interaction with higher-income neighbors, suggesting that reducing isolation—turning “islands of disadvantage” into real neighborhoods—matters as much as (or more than) any single program element.

It’s also a reminder that the ROI of good urbanism can be generational. The long-run benefits to kids can outperform the public cost of revitalization by a wide margin.

If we’re serious about economic mobility, we should be equally serious about the fundamentals HOPE VI leaned on: walkable blocks, legible public space, dignified housing that fits the surrounding fabric, and mixed-income patterns that create real proximity to opportunity.

Highly recommend reading and sharing.

A remarkable new Harvard study shows the benefits of mixed-income housing in high-poverty areas, using design based on New Urbanist principles.

12/31/2025

Please join the Congress for the New Urbanism Utah and Urban Design Utah for film screenings from the Better Cities Film Festival. Along with short films about street design, architecture, public transportation, and community building, we will be featuring "Pushing Zero", a 30-minute documentary about Salt Lake City-based developer Giv Group's affordable housing developments which have set the new standard for sustainable building design in our region.

This event is free and open to the public, although we encourage registration and a $5 donation or CNU Utah membership to ensure we can continue organizing fun and interesting events.

Registration: https://bit.ly/44uFoHs

Donation: https://www.cnuutah.org/donate

Membership: https://www.cnu.org/join

11/12/2025

UrbanTHINK: Victor Dover and the Importance of Street Design

Join CNU Utah, APA Utah, ASLA Utah, and AIA Utah’s Urban Design Committee for a special conversation with Victor Dover, co-author of Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns.

Discover how thoughtful street design shapes livable, walkable, and economically vibrant communities.

📅 Wednesday, November 19 | 12:30 PM
📍 Virtual or at WFRC Offices, 41 N Rio Grande Street
🎟️ Free event — RSVP here: https://forms.gle/WwMkm2j7vueRDPXD6

11/05/2025

Please join CNU Utah and its education partners - Urban Design Utah, APA Utah, and ALIA Utah for an Urban Think session featuring Victor Dover, author of "Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns." Victor Dover is an urban designer, city planner and futurist. He is a cofounder of Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning. A bike commuter, constant traveler, and former five-time Ironman triathlete, Dover focuses on re-establishing healthy, economically sound neighborhoods.

This will be a virtual Urban Think, with an opportunity to view the session in-person at the Wasatch Front Regional Council offices located at 41 North Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City. Feel free to bring your lunch and a friend! If you will be joining virtually, a link will be sent to you following your registration. Register here: http://bit.ly/4o09udw

This event is free and open to the public.

10/24/2025

Utah has been fortunate to have fixed-guideway transit service (TRAX and FrontRunner) since 2001. In that time the overall system has expanded and now includes Bus Rapid Transit services in Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber Counties. While service has expanded, supporting land uses within the areas directly around the transit stations has seen very little change.

Transit station areas are strategic locations to promote development that maximizes these connections. The intent is to merge transit with land uses providing walkable access to employment, education, daily needs retail, entertainment, recreation and other amenities - and in doing so create greater viability and increased ridership.

CNU Utah held an event last night which explored the Transit Station Area planning process and what is being done to fulfill the potential of station areas. We heard from a panel of those who understand the process and its results going from a macro to micro perspective:

STATE: Laura Hanson - Senior Advisor for Long-Range Planning to Governor Spencer Cox, and State Planning Coordinator in the Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget

REGION: Byron Head - Community Planner at WFRC

CITY: John Anderson - Planning Manager w/ Salt Lake City

STATION AREA: Stephen Alfandre - Founding Principal at Urban Alfandre

Thank you to all those that organized, participated, and attended. In the words of Michael Scott - It was a "WIN - WIN - WIN" all around.

10/16/2025

CNU Utah is inviting you to attend an event which will explore the Transit Station Area planning process and what is being done to fulfill the potential of station areas. We will look at how this process occurs in Utah going from state to region to city to station area. We have a knowledgeable panel that will address the power and opportunities which can come when the Transit Station Area process is executed well. The location of the event will also help in demonstrating successes experienced in the 900 South Station Area. There are numerous food options so you can also choose to grab some dinner after the event if you wish.

WHEN: Thursday, October 23rd @ 5:30 PM
WHERE: 915 Washington Street, Salt Lake City

Event Panelists include:
State: Laura Hanson (Governor's Office of Economic Development)
Region: Byron Head (Wasatch Front Regional Council)
City: John Anderson (Salt Lake City)
Station Area: Stephen Alfandre (Urban Alfandre)

Registration opportunity for this event is almost gone so please register if you would like to attend. Click here to register: http://bit.ly/4n1ei1B

CE credits available: APA, AIA, ASLA

10/08/2025

CNU Utah is inviting you to attend an event which will explore the Transit Station Area planning process and what is being done to fulfill the potential of station areas. We will look at how this process occurs in Utah going from state to region to city to station area. We have a knowledgeable panel that will address the power and opportunities which can come when the Transit Station Area process is executed well. The location of the event will also help in demonstrating successes experienced in the 900 South Station Area. There are numerous food options so you can also choose to grab some dinner after the event if you wish.

WHEN: Thursday, October 23rd @ 5:30 PM
WHERE: 915 Washington Street, Salt Lake City

Event Panelists include:
State: Laura Hanson (Governor's Office of Economic Development)
Region: Byron Head (Wasatch Front Regional Council)
City: John Anderson (Salt Lake City)
Station Area: Stephen Alfandre (Urban Alfandre)

We are limited on space so please register if you would like to attend. Click here to register: http://bit.ly/4n1ei1B

09/19/2025

CNU Utah is inviting you to attend an event which will explore the Transit Station Area planning process and what is being done to fulfill the potential of station areas. We will look at how this process occurs in Utah going from state to region to city to station area. We have a knowledgeable panel that will address the power and opportunities which can come when the Transit Station Area process is executed well. The location of the event will also help in demonstrating successes experienced in the 900 South Station Area. There are numerous food options so you can also choose to grab some dinner after the event if you wish.

WHEN: Thursday, October 23rd @ 5:30 PM

WHERE: 915 Washington Street, Salt Lake City

Event Panelists include:

State: Laura Hanson (Governor's Office of Economic Development)

Region: Byron Head (Wasatch Front Regional Council)

City: John Anderson (Salt Lake City)

Station Area: Stephen Alfandre (Urban Alfandre)

We are limited on space so please register if you would like to attend. Click here to register: http://bit.ly/4n1ei1B