Community / Economic Development

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.
Waterfront Ballpark Plans in the Work in Portland
The Portland Diamond Project is trying to bring Major League Baseball to Portland.

Getting Started on Inclusive Planning
A toolbox for local governments to address inequality.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.
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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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service