Community / Economic Development

California Aqueduct

What Will Los Angeles Will Do Next On Housing & Water? Look To Their Neighbors

The cities of Santa Monica, Culver CIty, West Hollywood, and Malibu are championing stormwater infrastructure, new public transit, affordable housing, and action on homelessness prevention.

May 9, 2017 - The Planning Report

Flodding

Middle Neighborhoods: On the Edge of Greatness or Distress

St. Louis provides the backdrop for a discussion about "middle neighborhoods"—the subject of a 2016 book by Paul C. Brophy.

May 8, 2017 - St. Louis Public Radio

Iowa

Federal Reserve Banks Look for Small Town Lessons in Growth

What do Rochester, Cedar Rapids, Grand Rapids, and Chattanooga have to do with each other? According to Federal Reserve Banks, they are all examples of cities doing growth right.

May 7, 2017 - Chicago Federal Reserve

A Planner's View of the Los Angeles Riots

Parts of Los Angeles erupted in flames 25 years ago this week. The causes were varied, but the results were geographic. Planners and community development efforts tried to help, but their effects have been lost in the wind.

May 6, 2017 - California Planning & Development Report

Public Realm

Great Places: What Every Urban Enthusiast Should Know

Melissa Hege, AICP, shares her thoughts on what every urban enthusiast should know about good streets and great places.

May 6, 2017 - Modern Cities

Detroit, Michigan

Friday Eye Candy: The Antidote to Detroit 'Ruin Porn'

The new book "Detroit: The Dream Is Now" tells a story of revitalization and ambition, in the same city where far too many "ruin porn" photographers have tread.

May 5, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Uptown Oakland

Which U.S. Cities Are Growing Inclusively?

Research from Brookings identifies metro areas with economies that are not only growing, but growing in an equitable way. The list is short, but may offer some insights.

May 5, 2017 - Brookings

Beer

Friday Funny: The Onion Likens Gentrification to a Butterfly's Metamorphosis

The satirical website takes on the darling of community and economic development: the local craft brew industry.

May 5, 2017 - The Onion

Jane Jacobs

'Citizen Jane' Sets the Battle Lines for the Future of Cities

Coinciding with the 101st anniversary of Jane Jacobs's birth, a documentary film showing in select theaters around the country recounts the history between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses, and the ideas that forced their struggle.

May 4, 2017 - James Brasuell

MacArthur Park

After Measure S: Los Angeles Leaders Ponder Growth and Equity

The controversy over the recent ballot initiative known as Measure S has Los Angeles thinking: How can the city accommodate new housing supply without disenfranchising communities?

May 4, 2017 - The Planning Report

Oil Rig

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Reverse Obama's Coastal Drilling Ban

So much for that so-called "permanent" ban that President Obama enacted by President Obama in December to end oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean and off the central-northern Atlantic coast.

May 3, 2017 - The Washington Post

Affordable housing

A Path to Looser Land Use Regulations

Harvard economics professor Edward Glaeser discusses the research on local land use controls, and why it makes sense to reevaluate them. Successful approaches may start at the state level.

May 2, 2017 - Brookings

Urban Garden

An Ambitious Revitalization Partnership in Detroit

Bringing together the city, developers, and philanthropic support, Fitz Forward aims to redevelop 300 parcels. Backers hope it will serve as a model for other neighborhoods.

May 2, 2017 - Next City

Pittsburgh at Night

What Makes For a 'Day 1 City'?

Can we use Jeff Bezos's distinction between "Day 1" and "Day 2" companies to compare cities? If so, Pittsburgh may be a prime example of the former.

May 1, 2017 - Hacker Noon

A Community Benefits Proposal is Ignored. Is Displacement Far Behind?

A tent city occupation in Atlanta is among several recent actions in cities around the country. Residents fearing displacement at the hands of publicly supported private development are organizing, and running for office, against it.

April 29, 2017 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Oklahoma City

Cultivating Oklahoma City's Innovation District

A new Brookings Institution reports recommends strategies for Oklahoma City to continue to grow the influence of its innovation district.

April 27, 2017 - Brookings

Detroit Vacant

Bad Bets on Detroit Housing Speculation

When investors from Belgium and elsewhere snapped up Detroit houses for a song, some of them didn't consider the full picture. The lesson: do your research, and maybe don't invest thousands of miles form home.

April 27, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Chicago's Wabash Lights Concept Could Expand

An art instillation of colorful LED lights hanging under the L on Wabash looks to grow.

April 27, 2017 - Curbed

Boston Seaport

Op-Ed: Cities Still Subsidize Everyone Else

Donald Trump rode waves of anti-urban sentiment to the White House. But is some city smugness forgivable if urban economies subsidize rural places?

April 26, 2017 - The Boston Globe

Amazon Warehouse

Debating the Role of Amazon Delivery Service in the Future Built Environment

The team at Strong Towns is taking an in-depth look at Amazon, with a week of events, including the point-counterpoint series shared here.

April 26, 2017 - Strong Towns

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.