Community / Economic Development

Don't Forget to #LoveThatLot This Valentine's Day
What better way to show you love for your community than by transforming its underused spaces into gathering areas for activities and fun?

Should Public Money Be Spent On Stadiums or Schools?
Is it time to re-evaluate the amount of public money utilized to subsidize sports stadiums at the expense of other community needs?

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Responds to Trump's Travel Ban
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) released a statement on the Trump Administration executive order that enacted a 90-day suspension of visas and other immigration benefits to all nationals of seven Middle Eastern countries.

It's Time to Prepare for Census 2020
An article for Planning magazine readies the planning profession for the largest peacetime activity of the federal government. All indications are that the 2020 Census will include unprecedented changes.

Unlikely Public Engagement Tactics Get Results for Small Towns
Four small cities across the country are seeing positive results with non-traditional public engagement strategies like bouncy castles, beer coasters, and ball games.

The (Place) Doctor Will See You Now
How a small town in Oregon used a data-driven, analytical approach towards putting policies in place to increase their economic and environmental resiliency.

In Underbanked Areas, Credit Unions Pick Up the Slack
Heard of food deserts? Some neighborhoods are banking deserts, where credit unions are the only reputable financial service providers. Now, these community institutions are getting easier access to federal recognition.

Where Trump's Trade Policies Are Likely to Have the Largest Effect
Time will tell whether President Trump is able to enact any of the ambitious trade policies he proposed on the campaign trail, but research shows the cities that will prosper or suffer based on the success of those initiatives.

Los Angeles Bans Sleeping in Cars
Critics of new regulations by the city of Los Angeles that ban sleeping in cars and RVs overnight say the new restrictions amount to a ban on homeless people.

Public Space Offering Surprising Lessons While Hosting Trump Protests
Christopher Hawthorne examines the unprecedented protests of the Women's March and the more recent airport protests for lessons in the understanding and appreciation of public space.

Is This a Way Forward for Urban Farming?
Pulling in community members and a network of local nonprofits, Phoenix's "Spaces of Opportunity" is an attempt to make urban farming something more than a catchphrase.

Know of Any 'Suburbs in Name Only'?
No cities are entirely urban, or even similar from one neighborhood to the next. The Corner Side Yard has some fun thinking about which Chicago neighborhoods we "Chicago in Name Only" and which of its suburbs are "Suburbs in Name Only."

Immigration Tied to Economic Success
City Observatory's Joe Cortright examines how immigration rates affect regional economic development. This research indicate that policies that exclude immigrants are not only mean, they are also stupid.

Urban Renewal Alive and Well in the Suburbs of Atlanta
The practice facility for a new Major League Soccer franchise was made possible by the demolition aging and affordable apartment buildings.

How to Empower Renters
Renters who care about neighborhood issues have avenues for creating change, but they need to be savy about getting their message across.

A Community Planning Process—Even a Good One—Is Not Enough
Simply inviting residents to participate in design charrettes or a community planning process does not mitigate the significant loss they feel as they witness the physical destruction of their homes and lived history.

Preserving the Character of Little Tokyo
In the wake of rapid gentrification, an organization in Los Angeles is leveraging the arts to celebrate a community's rich heritage and keep social equity a priority.

The Milwaukee Bucks Enter the Placemaking Business
Following the lead set by other franchises, professional sports teams are becoming real estate developers seeking to create vibrant places that attract commerce on non-game days.
Get Ready for a Wave of Federal Land Transfers in Western States
It's the antithesis of what former President Obama and his predecessors did when they gave federal lands and waters more protection. But don't blame Trump's executive actions for this one (not yet, anyway), as it's being proposed by Congress.

Hundreds of Stores to Close After Another Weak Holiday Season for Chain Retailers
Sears, Macy's, and The Limited are among chain apparel stores closing locations all around the United States.
Pagination
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