Community / Economic Development
What If We Stopped Considering Housing an Investment?
If Americans viewed housing as what it essentially is, a consumable good, solutions to our ongoing affordability crisis might just present themselves. And we'd probably loosen a lot of land use regulations.
California Investing In 'Transformative Climate Communities'
The California Strategic Growth Council has $140 million in cap-and-trade revenue for the new Transformative Climate Community program. The aim of the program is to catalyze environmental and economic investment in disadvantaged communities.
Black Lives Matter Movement Fights to Change Policy, City by City
The Black Lives Matter movement has seen legislative successes in advocating policies at the city level, but the Trump Administration will pose new challenges.
Money for Retailers on Chicago's South and West Sides
In Chicago, which has seen closures by retailers like Sears, Macy's, and others, Mayor Emanuel is offering some relief in the form of grants.
Detroit Still a Long Way from Recovery
It's fun to write miracle comeback stories, but the epic of Detroit's resurgence has been exaggerated, according to an article in The Conversation.
Chicago's 'People Plazas' Lacking a Key Ingredient
Launched with neighborhood-friendly ambitions, Chicago's people plaza program was meant to create revenue-generating gathering places. A Chicago Tribune editorial says it's hard to find any people at the plazas, however.
How to Build a $12 Billion High-Speed Rail Line at No Cost to Taxpayers
Unlike the nation's more well-known high-speed rail project in California, the 205 miles-per-hour, Dallas-to-Houston bullet train will be almost entirely privately financed. How is that possible?
Unique 'Audio Portraits' Pay Homage to Urban Noise
One man's noise pollution is another man's symphony.
Research Team to Study the Physiological Responses of Pedestrians to 'Physical Disorder'
Associate Professors Yunwoo Nam and lead PI Changbum Ahn from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, were recently awarded an NSF grant entitled "Human-Centric Sensing Platform to Assess Neighborhood Physical Disorder."
Understanding the Varieties of NIMBYism
"To get beyond NIMBYism, we first must understand it," writes Richard Florida.
Change the Only Constant in Nashville
A new series of articles, launched by a big feature earlier this month, will explore the changes occurring in the famous and beloved city of Nashville.
Are Driverless Cars Good for Cities?
With experts predicting widespread autonomous vehicle (AV) adoption in the not-too-distant-future, many policymakers, designers, and ordinary citizens are left scratching their heads, uncertain of what to expect and how to prepare.
Debating the Legacy of the High Line
A new debate has emerged, starting from a source very close to the project, about the effects of the High Line in New York City.
Designers Propose New Development Model for NYC's Gentrifying Industrial Districts
From warehouse to art studio to luxury loft: the SoHo model of industrial-zone gentrification has become familiar around the world. A team of New York-based designers developed a proposal for spreading the benefits of economic growth in these areas.
Trump's California Double Play: Potential Fatal Blow to Commuter and High-Speed Rail
In one of her first major decisions, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao deferred a decision on a critical $647 million federal grant to electrify the 51-mile San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain line, which would also be used by high-speed rail.
Should Online Shopping Change How We Use Ground-Level Space?
Urbanist Jane Jacobs' support for mixed use development has long been seen as the best urban design strategy, but this vision assumed that the retail space under housing could be rented. What if that is no longer the case?
Seattle: Amazon's Testing Ground for Retail Experiments
Amazon Go stores started in the ground floor of an Amazon office building. The company is trying other retail experiments, like a drive-up grocery store, in Seattle, where executives can watch the experiments up close.
Remember Trump's Pledge to Save Coal Jobs?
The West's largest coal power plant and two Ohio coal plants will be closing, and the coal mines that supply them may shutter as well. The Arizona utility "is tired of overpaying for power," words that surely the president should understand.
Designing a Better Little Free Library
The care that goes into each Little Free Library makes each example special and unique. A little architectural expertise can't hurt either.
The Value of Partnerships in Community Development
Community partnerships can be an effective way to accomplish shared goals. What are the factors that make some partnerships more effective than others?
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
