Community / Economic Development

Chicago Argriculture

Only High Cost Premiums Can Make Urban Farming Pencil Out

Throwing cold water on the latest "techno-optimism" for indoor, urban agriculture.

June 1, 2017 - City Observatory

France

Beuvron-en-Auge: 15th Century Town Planning Stands the Test of Time

Another reason European placemaking has North American applications: it wasn't always perfect. Hazel Borys looks to simple town planning lessons from a village in Normandy.

May 31, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Seattle

Seattle and Silicon Valley: Joined at the Hip?

Tech thrives on connection, and America's west coast tech hubs are more connected than ever before. But Seattleites aren't in a rush to abandon their city's distinctiveness.

May 31, 2017 - The Economist

Parking Sign

Downtowns Still Need Parking

Downtown businesses still need a diverse supply of high-turnover parking spaces, argues former downtown San Diego shopkeep, planning activist, and parking guru, Bill Keller.

May 30, 2017 - UrbDeZine

Capitol Hill

Funds Directed to Transit Projects in 2017 Budget May Not Be Allocated

Funding for Caltrain electrification, which Transportation Secretary Chao approved May 22, is one of 21 transit projects receiving funding in the omnibus spending bill that may be contingent on approval from the Trump Administration.

May 30, 2017 - The Washington Post

UC San Diego

Why Great Cities Need Great Universities

Universities do more than teach classes; they can help transform economies and elevate cities to greatness. UC San Diego is banking on it.

May 27, 2017 - The Planning Report

Fracking Opponents Charge Gov. Jerry Brown with Environmental Hypocrisy

The California governor, known for his outspoken climate advocacy, signed the nation's toughest fracking regulation bill in 2013. His response to those who want to ban fracking is that priority must be on reducing oil consumption.

May 27, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Reclaimed Garden Models New Economic Development Strategy

A garden in Pittsburgh has become the model for a movement to combine environmental reclamation with economic development.

May 25, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Powersource

Sports Authority

As Big Box Retailers Fade, New Uses Are Springing Up

The end of the era of the big box retailer is leaving landlords with the difficult task of finding new tenants for the large, empty storefronts.

May 23, 2017 - Denver Post

Homeless Man

Solving Homelessness: Title V's Shortcomings and Potential Explained

The Title V program makes the hard parts of solving homelessness—finding the money and the property—a lot easier. So why hasn't it been used at a much larger scale?

May 22, 2017 - CityLab

Oregon Voters Support LNG Export Facility

A proposed $7.5 billion facility to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Oregon's south coast received a resounding vote of support on Tuesday from Coos County voters who rejected a ballot measure that would have banned its construction.

May 18, 2017 - Oregon Public Broadcasting

Gentrification

Gentrification, for Better and Worse

Gentrification—more wealthy people moving into lower-income communities—often faces opposition, sometimes for the wrong reasons. It is important to consider all benefits and costs when formulating urban development policies.

May 18, 2017 - Todd Litman

Apple Orchard

Urban Orchard in East Detroit Trying to Be a Good Neighbor

When Wolverine Human Services bought 11 acres of East Detroit planning to remove abandoned houses for a U-Pick Orchard, neighbors protested. Now they've pivoted and aim to provide a resource to the community rather than run an agro-business.

May 17, 2017 - Next City

Highland Park Fire Department

A Rejuvenation Plan for Detroit's Highland Park

Along with Hamtramck, Highland Park is one of two tiny cities entirely surrounded by the city of Detroit. Here's how its leaders want its center to develop over the next five to ten years.

May 16, 2017 - Curbed Detroit

Church

How Aging Urban Churches Can Be Saved

Churchgoing in Washington, D.C. is on the decline, and neighborhood churches are finding it hard to pay the bills. One solution is to go mixed-use and share space with new development.

May 16, 2017 - Washingtonian

Wind

Maryland Positions Itself as Nation's Leader in Offshore Wind Power

In a few years, Maryland is expected to be the nation's leader in offshore renewable wind power made possible by the Public Service Commission's approval on May 11 of credits to two projects by U.S. Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy.

May 15, 2017 - Planetizen

University of Denver

Has Placemaking Become Cliché?

There’s very little that differentiates proposals by four distinguished planning and design firms to better connect my university to its immediate neighborhood and the wider city. Why is that, and does it have to be that way?

May 15, 2017 - Dean Saitta

Threats and Opportunities for Low-Income Community Development Investment

Community development finance institutions (CDFIs) have tapped into the bond market, and the potential for investment is huge, but the Trump Administration could erase the progress of CDFIs.

May 15, 2017 - ImpactAlpha

Zipcar

California Cap-and-Trade Shares the Wealth, With Zipcars for Public Housing Residents

Residents of public housing in California's state capital now have new access to economic mobility in the form of a shared fleet of electric cars—all made possible by the state's cap-and-trade system that limits and offset carbon emissions.

May 11, 2017 - The Sacramento Bee

St. Louis

Report: Tax Increment Financing Is the New Redlining

A new report from the Show-Me Institute provides a scathing critique of the demographic disparities apparent in how the city of St. Louis deploys tax increment financing.

May 11, 2017 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

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.