Community / Economic Development

Study Predicts the 'Amazon Effect' of HQ2 on Rents
Spoiler alert: the rent will go up in whatever city Amazon chooses for the site of its second headquarters.

Chattanooga to Redevelop City-Owned Properties to Keep Innovation District Momentum
Two underutilized buildings have been proposed as a catalyst for inclusive development in the Edney Innovation District.

Growth Centers on Philadelphia's Downtown, But Poverty Persists Elsewhere
An opinion piece points out the inequities of growth in contemporary Philadelphia.

Public Space Arms Race
Battles for inclusion and exclusion in the life of the city more often end in stand-offs than in skirmishes.

Dallas Housing Proposal Aims for Equity, Finally
Not only does the plan promise more affordable housing, it’s also supposed to deliver “access to more upwardly mobile communities."
Getting the Politics of Cordon Tolling Right
With Mayor Jenny Durkan's announcement that Seattle will pursue cordon area congestion pricing coming five days after New York dropped its plan, a Washington State pro-business publication looks at the difficulties in getting the politics right.

Remaking a Formerly State-of-the-Art Corporate Headquarters
Holmdel, New Jersey, was home to a huge, beautiful, and empty headquarters of the now defunct Bell Labs. Now the campus is home to tech startups, a library, and a host of other businesses.

Dallas Breaks Ground on Yet Another Downtown Park
Pacific Plaza will the fourth park built in the center of the city in the last decade, and there are still plans for three more.

Private Equity Startup Offers Small Scale Public Development Investments
Startup, Cooperative Capital, allows investors to buy into community investment projects and vote on which projects to fund.

The Amazon Opportunity to Revitalize Urban Communities
If corporations continue to be able to take public subsidy as the price of locating in an area, maybe the debate isn't whether to offer subsidies but simply how and for what to offer them. Here’s one incentive that might actually benefit communities.

PlanIt Podcast: The Value of Neighborhood Groups in Planning
Neighborhood is a term loosely used when talking about any certain area of a community. In this episode, we explore the value of collaboration between neighborhood groups and cities in local planning processes and best practices.

How Surveillance in Cities is Evolving
Across the globe, smart cities are increasingly procuring and implementing information technology in order to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban spaces. The former CTO of L.A. and the mayor of Beverly Hills weigh in on the subject.

Squaring Urbanism, Equity, and Density in the SB 827 Debate
As Sen. Wiener has announced new amendments to the controversial land use, transit-oriented development, and real estate bill, The Planning Report turns to three experts to unpack the legislation's consequences.

Mexico's Traditional Housing Is Disappearing—and With It, a Way of Life
Mariana Ordóñez Grajales and Onnis Luque are fighting to preserve their country's vernacular architecture.

Cities Turn to Highway Cap Parks for Economic Development
Some worry that, of the many reasons cities pursue cap parks, creating quality green space is low on the list.
The Philadelphia Design District Makes its Debut
Long a hub of creative workers in Philadelphia, a collaboration of companies based in the Old City neighborhood in Philadelphia has rebranded as the Philadelphia Design District.

Responses to the Suburbanization of Poverty in Short Supply
Low-income residents have scattered to the periphery, where social services are less accessible.

'Jumpstart Germantown' Aims for the Antidote to Gentrification
A new program based in the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia aims to encourage community ownership of urban re-investment.

Reviving the 'Miracle Mile' May Be Tucson's Next Big Thing
After tremendous success with a streetcar line, the desert city is considering strategies for investing in its historic automobile corridor.

Cryptocurrency Goes in Search of Cheap Power, Finds it in Small-Town America
Some of the least expensive electricity in the country can be found in Upstate New York, where cryptocurrency miners are starting to set up shop—with or without local approval.
Pagination
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