Community / Economic Development

Encanto Park

Homeless Encampment Challenges Policy Makers in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona is struggling to deal with a growing homeless camp in a revitalizing area near the city's Downtown.

January 6, 2018 - AZ Central

Stockton Foreclosure

Distressed Suburbs Struggle to Recover From Decade-Old Recession

Located primarily in the western states, some suburbs were hit hard by the 2008 recession and still haven't recovered. Many have seen an influx of low-income residents and upticks in crime.

January 5, 2018 - The Atlantic

Tesla

Welcome to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station of the Future

But only if you drive a Tesla. Unlike a traditional "fill-up," charging an EV takes time—30 minutes for Tesla Superchargers—so Tesla provides an exclusive lounge for its customers at a new 40-Supercharger "rest stop" on I-5 in California.

January 5, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Gentrification Protest

Wrestling with Growth, Equity, and Sustainability

A historic summit with Denver mayors about responsible growth, and a take-to-the-streets protest of gentrification in the city, suggest the need for a better conversation about today’s challenges to urban sustainability.

January 3, 2018 - Dean Saitta

Silicon Valley

Expecting a Mass Exodus of Tech Talent From Coastal Cities

An expert says the Republican tax bill is likely to accelerate an exodus away from traditional tech hubs toward more affordable areas.

December 31, 2017 - CNBC

Gilpin County, Colorado

Colorado Tax Mandates Will Continue to Hurt Rural Areas

When home values rise, the state constitution requires cuts to residential tax rates that severely impact less-developed areas.

December 30, 2017 - The Denver Post

New York City Retail

Tracking the Increasing Number of Chain Stores in New York City

While the number of national retailers is still growing in New York City, growth is slowing and it concentrated in the restaurant and food sector of the market.

December 29, 2017 - Center For An Urban Future

Austin

How Anti-Urban State Legislatures Hurt Cities

Creating a new version of the "haves" and the "have nots," Richard Florida distinguishes cities struggling against state-level anti-urban policies from cities that get more support from the state.

December 29, 2017 - CityLab

The 'Retail Apocalypse' Visits New York City

The trend of store closures sweeping the nation has not passed up New York City. The Guardian takes an in-depth look at the market forces at work on the famous commercial corridors of New York City.

December 28, 2017 - The Guardian

A Review of a San Diego Homeless Shelter by One of its Clients

Orlando Barahona has chronicled his experience as a homeless person, as well as his ideas for addressing the homelessness crisis, in various publications and his own blog. In this post, he reviews a homeless shelter in which he is a "client."

December 27, 2017 - UrbDeZine

White House

The Most Popular Posts of 2017

All the planning news that's fit to print.

December 26, 2017 - James Brasuell

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis Finds a Loophole to Rid Two Parks of Confederate Monuments

A victory for local control: Memphis city leaders found a way to rid their city of two racist monuments, over the objection of the State Legislature.

December 25, 2017 - The Commercial Appeal

Developers Allege Conspiracy to Thwart Waterfront Development in New Jersey

A lawsuit claims that the town of Edgewater and its most prolific developer worked together to defeat a proposal for yet another high-rise development with views of Manhattan

December 24, 2017 - The New York Times

great lakes

The Third Coast Atlas Redefines the Legacy of the Great Lakes

A new book of maps, photographs, and essays considers the rich historic legacy of land use and transportation on and around the Great Lakes.

December 23, 2017 - CityLab

What Planners Need to Know About Aging for Comprehensive Plans

Julia Wolfe, planning specialist for the Ramsey County Public Health, lays out some suggestions to plan for aging population.

December 22, 2017 - PlanIt - Metropolitan Council

Brick and Mortar Retail

Retail Job Decline Tilts Toward Rural Areas

While warehousing and ecommerce jobs are steadily increasing in most parts of the country, rural areas are particularly hard hit by the struggles of the retail sector.

December 22, 2017 - Indeed Hiring Lab

Airbnb

Home Sharing or Illegal Hotel?

Like many companies in the “sharing economy,” Airbnb prides itself on “disrupting” the traditional marketplace—but at what cost to New York’s affordable housing?

December 22, 2017 - Urban Omnibus

Concerns Raised About Skyrocketing Bill for Wisconsin's Foxconn Deal

Governor Scott Walker and Foxconn Chair Terry Gou will sign a contract today that will pave the way for the Taiwan-based company to build a large manufacturing plant in Racine County.

December 22, 2017 - Urban Milawaukee

Mobile Grocery Store

Turning Parking Spaces Into Grocery Stores

The Moby Mart is an autonomous, staffless, mobile store, turning every parking space in the world into a potential new 24-hour store.

December 22, 2017 - Modern Cities

Fankfort Pike

Rural Kentucky County Rejects Massive Corporate Development Scheme

After rebuffing a proposal that would land Lockheed Martin, and 3,500 new jobs, its safe to say that Bourbon County, Kentucky probably isn't bidding on the second Amazon headquarters either.

December 21, 2017 - Lexington Herald Leader

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.