Community / Economic Development

Homeless Services

HUD Announces $2 Billion in Grant Funding for Local Homeless Programs

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is renewing program support for thousands of local programs that offer support and assistance to the homeless.

January 28, 2019 - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Oregon

Portland Throwing its Pioneering Neighborhood System Under the Bus

A muddled agenda of inclusion seems to be a rationale to eviscerate one of the Oregon city's most lauded civic assets.

January 28, 2019 - Michael Mehaffy

Vancouver, British Columbia

Gentrification in Chinatown Harms Social Cohesion, Food Security

A new report focuses on the consequences of gentrification in Vancouver's Chinatown neighborhood.

January 26, 2019 - The Star Vancouver

Self-Storage

Denver's Building Boom: Self-Storage Facilities

Self-storage facilities have been popping up around Denver long before Marie Kondo's show streamed on Netflix.

January 26, 2019 - The Denver Post

Manhattan Retail

Easing the Tax Burden of Commercial Renters in Manhattan

Some renters of commercial renters in Manhattan will get the equivalent of a month's rent back if the city approves a change to the commercial rent tax.

January 26, 2019 - Crain's New York Business

Book Store

First 'Creative District' Designated in Washington

A new creative district program in the state of Washington is modeled on the program in Colorado, among others.

January 25, 2019 - Crosscut

Colorado Town

Behind the Community-Building Mission of the Orton Family Foundation

The work of the Orton Family Foundation provides a leading example of community-driven revitalization at work in small towns all over the country, according to this feature in the Christian Science Monitor.

January 24, 2019 - The Christian Science Monitor

Adaptive Reuse

Property Tax Relief on the Table for Pittsburgh's Developing Neighborhoods

Pittsburgh is considering a gentrification and displacement prevention measure for longtime residents of rapidly changing neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh.

January 23, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Chicago, Illinois

Lincoln Park and the Complicated History of Gentrification in Chicago

The following excerpt, written by Daniel Kay Hertz in the introduction to The Battle of Lincoln Park, challenges assumptions about the forces of gentrification in Chicago, with lessons for communities around the country.

January 22, 2019 - Daniel Kay Hertz

Homelessness

The 'Latino Homeless Paradox'

The city of Philadelphia provides a case study of the so-called "Latino Homeless Paradox." There are many more low-income and homeless Latinos than reflected in the numbers of those using supportive services in the city.

January 20, 2019 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Homeless Community

An Illustrated Exploration of Portland's Homeless Community

An illustrated comic strip introduces the community of support found at Right 2 Dream Too, a homeless community of tents and tiny homes built by and for homeless people.

January 18, 2019 - The Nib

Louisville Supermarket

Food Insecurity a Growing Problem in Louisville

Supermarket closings have turned parts of the city into food deserts. As a result, residents lack access to fresh food and suffer health and economic consequences.

January 18, 2019 - Louisville Courier Journal

Construction

Dense Cities Have Less to Offer Low-Skilled Workers Than They Once Did

A study from economist David Autor finds that the higher wages once offered workers without college degrees or special skills are mostly gone. Workers in cities often earn what they would in rural areas.

January 17, 2019 - The New York Times

Big Box Store

Understanding the 'Dark Store Theory' Costing Local Governments Millions in Property Tax

The New York Times takes a deep dive into the "dark store theory" costing local municipalities millions, and potentially more, in property tax revenues all over the country.

January 17, 2019 - The New York Times

State Capital of Utah

Rising Homelessness, Erroneous Data: Rethinking Utah's 'Housing First' Policy

An annual reports finds a growing number of homelessness in Utah. That information, coupled with mistakes in earlier reports, casts doubt on the state's record of success in housing vulnerable populations.

January 16, 2019 - Place

Montpelier Vermont

Vermont to Pay People to Relocate

To encourage people to move to Vermont, new program will help remote workers with the costs of relocating.

January 15, 2019 - WBUR

Tolls, Not Gas and Sales Taxes, Will Fund I-81 Improvements in Virginia

Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam announced he is backing Republican legislation to toll all lanes of Interstate 81 to fund $2.2 billion in improvements along the 325-mile corridor, heavily used by trucks, from West Virginia to Tennessee.

January 13, 2019 - The Washington Post

On Demand Shuttle Operator to Cease Operations in Nine Cities

San Francisco-based shuttle operator Chariot, acquired by Ford Motor Company in 2016, will end its operations by March in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Seattle, Austin, New York, Columbus, Detroit, Denver, and London.

January 12, 2019 - San Francisco Examiner

Jiujiang power plant

U.S. Carbon Emissions Increased Last Year After a Three-Year Decline

The sobering news comes from the Rhodium Group, a research firm that tracks CO2 emissions. The preliminary estimate is the third in two months to show an increase in 2018, attributing it to an improved economy and Trump's regulation rollbacks.

January 10, 2019 - The Washington Post

Atlanta

Tax Deal Paves Way for Atlanta's Gulch Mega-Project

The city of Atlanta approved its largest development project since the 1960s back in November, but still needed the school district to sign off on a funding plan to help for the $1.9 billion in public subsidies that will support the project.

January 9, 2019 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.