Community / Economic Development

New York City Restaurant

The U.S. Cities With the Most Restaurants Per Capita

Metropolitan areas with many options for places to eat offers many quality of life benefits to residents.

December 17, 2018 - City Observatory

Wayne County Main Street

The Future of the Retail Landscape

Stores are an integral part of the cityscape. So how will online shopping change what we see in the coming years?

December 13, 2018 - The Boston Globe

Washington D.C. Stores

D.C. Council Chooses Commercial Property Tax Breaks Over Homeless Funding

Carolyn Gallaher, an associate professor at American University, makes the case for local political leadership to better support Washington, D.C.'s homeless population. The D.C. Council has been focusing its resources elsewhere.

December 13, 2018 - Greater Greater Washington

President of the United States

Trump Administration Gives 'Opportunity Zones' a Push Forward

A new controversy about the Trump family's potential to profit from Trump administration policies emerged the same week as news that an executive order was forming a White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.

December 12, 2018 - The New York Times

Stony Island Arts Bank Chicago

Theaster Gates Brings Together Planning and Art to Empower Communities

His work in Chicago has created spaces that protect and celebrate black lives and experience.

December 12, 2018 - Forbes

MIT campus

Where Campus Planning Meets Urban Planning

As universities become a universally accepted and celebrated economic development power, there's still work to be done in getting the town and gown relationship on the same page.

December 10, 2018 - Metropolis

Rural Utah

When Cities Prosper, Rural Areas Are Better Off

The pitting of cities and rural communities against one another is the wrong approach. Instead, policies that help cities thrive will benefit rural areas in the long run.

December 9, 2018 - Brookings

Paradise

Aging in Place in Margaritaville

A Jimmy Buffet-branded 55-plus community in Daytona, Florida is wildly popular. The New York Times Magazine gained early access and ponders its deeper significance.

December 9, 2018 - The New York Times Magazine

Front Porch

The Front Porch: A Space of Deep Meaning for African-Americans

Much more than just an extension of a house, the porch has long been a place of safety, intimacy, and communality.

December 7, 2018 - The New York Times

Yosemite

2018 Presents for Plannerds: The Gifts of Parks

In his sixth annual list of gift ideas for “plannerds,” park plan-nerd Clement Lau takes a different approach.

December 5, 2018 - UrbDeZine

Hill District

Inequality Found in the 'Unstudied Neighborhoods' Too

A new journal article calls out the academic community of planning and urbanism for relying too much on the usual suspects when researching marginalization and inequality, and assuming too much about what makes a neighborhood "normal."

December 4, 2018 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Race and ethnicity 2010: New York City

Report: 'Segregation Tax' Depresses Home Values in Majority-Black Areas

According to a study, residential segregation and anti-black bias combine to devalue properties in majority-black neighborhoods by an average of $48,000 per home.

December 3, 2018 - Curbed

Waterfront Ballpark Plans in the Work in Portland

The Portland Diamond Project is trying to bring Major League Baseball to Portland.

November 30, 2018 - OPB

Compass Columbia comprehensive plan

Getting Started on Inclusive Planning

A toolbox for local governments to address inequality.

November 29, 2018 - Nate Baker

Planning Professor

Planning Academic Appointed to Federal Reserve Board Community Advisory Council

The Federal Reserve Board’s Community Advisory Council serves in an advisory role on matters affecting communities and consumers.

November 28, 2018 - University of Michigan Taubman College

Downtown Kansas City Missouri

Kansas City Star Editorial Board Laments 'Denverization'

The Kansas City Star Editorial Board has concerns about gentrification and affordable housing.

November 28, 2018 - The Kansas City Star

Street Food

Los Angeles Approves Sidewalk Vending Ordinance

The new ordinance brings long-awaited legal legitimacy to sidewalk vending in Los Angeles.

November 28, 2018 - Streetsblog LA

Queens, New York City

Regional Plan Association Gives Amazon HQ2 a Thumbs Up

A Regional Plan Association white paper makes that case that New York City and Amazon have mutually beneficial goals with the decision to located the tech company's second headquarters in Long Island City.

November 28, 2018 - Crain's New York Business

Coal Mining and Power Station

Climate Report Written by Federal Government Warns of Dire Impact on Economy

The second volume of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released on Black Friday to presumably draw less attention from the American public, was well-covered by the media. Unlike Volume 1, there was greater focus on economic impacts.

November 27, 2018 - The New York Times

Menards

Big-Box Retailers Say Property Assessments Are Too High; Communities Suffer the Consequences

"Dark store theory" argues that nearby depreciated properties should figure into property valuations. The resulting property tax cuts mean local municipalities end up taking a huge hit.

November 26, 2018 - CityLab

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.