Community / Economic Development

Seattle, Washington

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.

April 26, 2018 - Zillow Research

Tennessee

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.

April 26, 2018 - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Philadelphia

Growth Centers on Philadelphia's Downtown, But Poverty Persists Elsewhere

An opinion piece points out the inequities of growth in contemporary Philadelphia.

April 24, 2018 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

LA Ciclavia

Public Space Arms Race

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

April 23, 2018 - Urban Omnibus

Texas

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."

April 23, 2018 - Next City

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.

April 20, 2018 - Lens

Holmdel, New Jersey

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.

April 20, 2018 - CityLab

Dallas skyline

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.

April 18, 2018 - Dallas Morning News

Community Stairway

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.

April 17, 2018 - Fast Company

Amazon Fulfillment Center

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.

April 17, 2018 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Community Meeting

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.

April 14, 2018 - PlanIt - Metropolitan Council

Security cameras on a building

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.

April 13, 2018 - The Planning Report

Condos Smart Growth

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.

April 12, 2018 - The Planning Report

Yucatan Peninsula

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.

April 12, 2018 - The Architectural League of New York

Klyde Warren Park

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.

April 12, 2018 - Stateline

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.

April 11, 2018 - PlanPhilly

Suburban Sidewalk

Responses to the Suburbanization of Poverty in Short Supply

Low-income residents have scattered to the periphery, where social services are less accessible.

April 10, 2018 - The Washington Post

SEPTA transit map

'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.

April 10, 2018 - The Philadelphia Citizen

Miracle Mile

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.

April 9, 2018 - CitiesSpeak

Power Lines

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.

April 9, 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.