Community / Economic Development

When Pennsylvania's 'Right to Farm' Means Living With the Pigs Next Door
New residents to formerly agricultural area are trying to shut down a hog-feeding operation, but so far without much success.

When Gentrification Follows Transit Oriented Development
From an environmental perspective, transit oriented development is hard to argue. From a socio-economic perspective, transit oriented development must make room for all income levels, according to this opinion piece posted on the NRDC website.

Did the Supreme Court End the 'Retail Apocalypse'?
The decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair certainly didn't hurt traditional retailers, but they're still going to have to help themselves in the face of competition from online retail.

Most Rural Counties Losing Population
Experts expect the 2020 Census to reveal some potentially startling trends of population decline in rural parts of the country.

The 'Shale Crescent,' Also Dubbed the 'Plastic Belt,' Removes the Rust
The region spanning Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania is claiming a new name.
$29 Million in Series C Funding for an Urban Agricultural Company
Looking for signs of the growth of urban agricultural as a viable industry?

Interactive Maps Explore Barriers to Opportunity
A pair of interactive maps and a report compare access to opportunity in two very different neighborhoods. In both places, residents confront "friction of distance" and feel their input on public decision-making is limited.

Sued for Gentrification
A lawsuit against the District of Columbia claims deliberate actions to attract "creative" workers discriminates against low-income and African American residents.

The Massive Significance of Ford's Move into Detroit's Abandoned Michigan Central Depot
Ford has confirmed its plan to move into the Michigan Central Depot in Detroit.

Book Review: The Divided City, by Alan Mallach
Jason Segedy's review of a must-read for all planners interested in the subject of "Legacy Cities."

Looking Back to Find the Future of San Diego
An advocacy group is republishing the 1974 regional plan for sustainability, and finding that it's just as relevant now as it was then.

Study: There's a Lot of Vacant Land in Texas Cities
All that empty acreage means that these big, rapidly developing cities don’t really have to sprawl.

How City Planning Can Affect How Diseases Spread
There are many ways that city planning and urban design can mitigate, or exacerbate, the spread of public health risks.

Critics Pounce on $190 Million Proposed for Seattle Mariners Stadium Support
A city grappling with a homeless crisis might rethink its spending habits.

Houston Requires Community Benefits for Development Subsidies
Houston joins cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minneapolis in demanding a greater return on public dollars.

The Vacancy Epidemic
A new report uses terms like epidemic and hyper-vacancy to drive home the point about the effects of vacancies on communities like Cleveland, Gary, Toledo, and Detroit.

There's a Hole Where Ground-Floor Retail Should Be
Mixed-use developments still often operate better in theory than in reality.

Design Review: Revamped Gateway Arch an Urban Success
Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Blair Kamin assesses the remodeled Gateway Arch in St. Louis, prior to its big public opening on July 3.

The End of the Social Safety Net
A new report from the Human Rights Council of the United Nations chastises the United States for allowing so many Americans to live in poverty.

Dismal Poll Findings for Bay Area: Half the Respondents Want to Leave
To paraphrase Bill Clinton, it's the housing, stupid! In addition to the troubling findings of the Bay Area Council poll, a California housing report found that Silicon Valley had the highest percentage of residents leaving their counties.
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