Community / Economic Development
Using AI to Analyze Public Comments
A new tool is designed to help local governments organize and understand large volume of community input on projects.
Spring Fun at Los Angeles County Parks
L.A. County is offering a spring edition of its popular and award-winning Parks After Dark program, providing opportunities for residents to come together and have fun in safe and welcoming spaces.
Soaring Property Insurance Rates Threaten Affordable Housing Development
Rapidly rising insurance premiums are forcing affordable housing developers to cut back on programming, lay off staff, and even sell. To add insult to injury, some insurers also seem to be adding penalties or withdrawing coverage for housing voucher holders.
NYC Releases Pre-Approved Outdoor Dining Designs
Four designs cater to various street conditions and locations.
Opinion: Cities Must Take Action on Blighted Downtown Parking Lots
Surface parking lots take up as much as a third of downtown land in some cities, dragging down tax revenue and redevelopment prospects.
Undoing Biden's EV Rule
The partisan divide over how government should reduce greenhouse gas emissions was on full display after the Biden administration finalized its emissions standards rule for light and medium duty vehicles on March 20.
Indian States Give Women Free Bus Passes
The programs are part of an initiative aimed at helping more women join the workforce and improving access to basic needs.
Study: How to Revitalize Downtown Minneapolis
A proposal calls for a reevaluation of the city’s skyways, a focus on street-facing businesses, and an improved public realm.
Deconstructing Office-to-Residential Conversions in Seattle
In a two-part inquiry in GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe looks at clearing the path to office-to-residential conversions and the complex path beyond.
Power Demand is Surging in US
The U.S. has entered a new power paradigm according to a new energy analysis that warns of unprecedented new demands for power, largely from “new manufacturing, industrial, and data center facilities,” and the grid is not prepared for the surge.
Draft Plan Takes Aim at Downtown DC Revitalization
The plan calls for policies that support adaptive reuse, new housing construction, and improved public parks and facilities.
LA County Makes Progress Toward Sustainability Goals
A newly released annual report by the Chief Sustainability Office (CSO) shows that Los Angeles County is making progress on meeting the goals of the OurCounty Sustainability Plan.
A Better Understanding of Smart Growth Benefits
Smart Growth creates compact, multimodal communities where residents consume less land, drive less, and rely more on non-auto modes. Planners have important stories to tell about the benefits of Smart Growth.
Carson to Host California Land Recycling Conference
In September 2024, the Center for Creative Land Recycling will hold its annual conference in Carson, California, offerings opportunities to learn about the reuse of underutilized and contaminated properties.
Former Georgia Mall Revived by Pickleball
Macon-Bibb County is converting the largely defunct commercial center into a civic complex with county offices and recreation facilities.
New Waterfront Park Opens at the Port of Los Angeles
The $77.3 million new park offers unprecedented public access to the water’s edge for the Wilmington community where 18% of the total land area is taken up by oil refineries — almost 3.5 times more space than is dedicated to green space.
Downtown Chicago Vacancy Rates at All-Time High, Slashing Building Values
Record vacancy rates and the high cost of borrowing money are fueling a commercial real estate crisis in downtown Chicago.
Los Angeles County Moves to Open Schoolyards to Public Uses
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors just approved a motion to extend and expand an agreement with the L.A. Unified School District for the use of recreational facilities at Walnut Park Elementary School.
Study: Seattle Vision Zero Projects Not Bad for Business
An analysis of seven road safety project sites showed no negative economic impact on surrounding businesses.
Minneapolis Opens 2024 Parklet Season
The program supports nonprofits and other groups who want to build parklets and outdoor dining spaces on public right-of-way.
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
