Community / Economic Development
Denied: Proposed LNG Export and Gas Pipeline in Oregon Rejected by FERC
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied a contentious $7.5 billion Liquefied Natural Gas export facility, pipeline, and power plant in Coos Bay, Ore., which had received environmental clearance.
Social Equity: The Missing Leg of the Three-Legged Stool of Climate Action
Climate action plans cannot succeed without bona fide action on social equity and job creation, argues Murtaza Baxamusa who teaches planning at USC and develops affordable housing Murtaza Baxamusa.
Brookings: Time to Rethink Economic Development
A new policy paper argues that real economic development reaches all levels of the economy—not just the top.
Critic Raises Alarms About North Philadelphia Redevelopment Efforts
The Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer is concerned about the large-scale redevelopment of North Philadelphia, under the leadership of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
Transit Sparks Generational Conflict in Virginia's Hampton Roads
A controversy has emerged over the future of transportation in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, especially as it relates to demographics of the coveted "millennial workforce" variety.
Retail: Walkable Urban Primer with Southwestern Inspiration
Need some pointers on how to make downtown retail sing? Check out Hazel Borys' crib notes on Bob Gibbs' directions.
Report: High Housing Costs Responsible for California's Economic Woes, Not Taxes
The Golden State attracts high-end workers, while its high housing costs cause a disproportionate number of low and middle income workers to flee the state. The non-profit think tank, Next 10, delves into this crisis in three new reports.
Economic Development: Do People or Places Come First?
Aaron Renn writes an argument against economic development investments in the form of stadiums, casinos and convention centers—favored by so many local governments.
Homelessness Growing in Austin—For the First Time in Years
The state capital of Texas is not immune to the growing numbers of homeless in cities around the country.
The Life and Death of Urban Hierarchies
Kristen Jeffers writes that she's changed her mind about the existence of hierarchies among U.S. cities.
California's Ambitious Transportation Projects Designed to Include Communities
Unprecedented transit build-out in California could transform the state. Now leaders are working to ensure the infrastructure connecting major cities also benefits the communities it touches along the way.
Putting Geniuses In Their Place(s)
Eric Weiner's "The Geography of Genius" offers a delightful, if limited, analysis of cities throughout history where "genius" has arisen and offers inspiration for planners who want to make cities more than just places to live and do business.
Why the Bay Area Outshines L.A.
Los Angeles' relative economic stagnation from 1980 onward was as much a choice as was the Bay Area's meteoric rise. According to planning scholar Michael Storper's account, Los Angeles' culture—not any policy or industry—is to blame.
U.S. Cities Cracking Down on Homelessness
Three major American cities this week—San Francisco, Dallas, and Los Angeles—responded to the growing number of homeless living on the streets with sweeps, arrests, and seizures, respectively.
Making Sense of Community
Most of us Planetizen readers were inadvertently complicit in killing the term "sense of community." Scott Doyon points out where we go from here.
For Cities, Industrial Land Matters
When the "highest and best use" of city land...isn't.
Black Residents Displaced in Pittsburgh
Rents are on the rise in Pittsburgh, prompting some longtime residents to relocate farther away. Race, as well as class, figures heavily in this narrative.
The Changing Nature of Retail: The Impact of Online Shopping on Cities
As consumers increasingly buy online, technology is changing the shape of our cities, reducing demand for retail space, increasing freight congestion, and leaving parking lots empty.
Tech Sector Makes Inroads in Portland
Low prices and a less frenetic working environment are drawing tech employees to Portland, Oregon. Gentrification may loom, but along with it may come expanded economic opportunities for the city and state.
Op-Ed: Affordability Crisis Dwarfs Affordability Policies
Although the political optics are hard to see, Daniel Hertz argues that policies like inclusionary zoning need to be strengthened by orders of magnitude to have more than a token impact on housing affordability.
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
