Community / Economic Development
Why Cities Should Be Mad About Federal Defense Spending
Cities should be mad about the federal government's cutting of discretionary spending and not reducing defense spending, according to this column from Neal Peirce.
The Economic Forces Behind Urbanization
This podcast from The Guardian explores why cities have grown in population and what economic forces are behind this shift.
Borrowing Against Future Revenues to Expand Salt Lake City Rail
Salt Lake City is aggressively expanding its light rail network thanks to a voter approved tax increase. This post wonders whether the city could follow mimic a proposed plan in Los Angeles to speed up the use of those taxes.
A Video Explanation of Congestion Pricing
This video from Streetfilms explains the concept of congestion pricing and looks at how it can affect cities and their mobility.
Russian Olympic City's Vast Transformation
As it prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Russian resort city of Sochi has transformed from a "blank slate" into the "world's biggest construction site".
Hypothetical Developments and Urban Interventions
In an effort to encourage thinking about the future of the city, a new group of urban planners/artists has created a series of posters depicting imagined urban developments in New Orleans and posted them around town.
Proposed Stadium Needs More Than Football
Plans to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles hinge on more than football. A major element in making the idea work financially for the city is to make it an attractive site for conventions and conferences.
The Dynamics of Immigration in Jackson Heights
Urban Omnibus takes of tour of Queens' Jackson Heights neighborhood with author Suketu Mehta, exploring the vibrant urban culture that has permeated the neighborhood even before Mehta's family moved in in 1977.
Dwindling Small Towns Fight Back
Census data shows that Lacrosse, WA (pop. 315) and other small, rural towns are getting smaller. Some blame the Conservation Reserve Program. But Lacrosse and many others aren't going quietly - they're fighting to hang on.
Top 10 Websites - 2011
Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.
In-Depth With Aerotropolis Author
Two unique urban journalists meet, as Geoff Manaugh of BLDGBLOG interviews Greg Lindsay, Fast Company's cities reporter, about his new book Aerotropolis: The Way We'll Live Next.
Mapping the Nation's Well-Being
Who's the happiest and healthiest of them all? The New York Times posts an interactive map of the national Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.
Los Angeles' "Public Transportainment"
An enterprising couple from Los Angeles turned an RV into a mode of public transportation for the party-going crowd. Recent partnerships with Foursquare and Walt Disney Imagineering have made the RV a popular way to get around Tinseltown.
US Cities and Disaster Preparedness
In the wake of the disasters which devastated parts of Japan, Russell Nichols of Governing investigates the state of disaster preparedness in US cities and states.
Design Solutions for Japan's Recovery
In the coming days and years, Japan needs to address a host of issues related to earthquake recover and design, including damaged infrastructure, population and housing, energy, the economy and global impact.
Chicago's Response to NYC's High-Line
The Lake View neighborhood in Chicago will unveil a new master plan for a completely redesigned community, including a "Low Line" park walkway.
Fearing the End, Redevelopment Agencies Go on Bond Spree
Facing possible dissolution, redevelopment agencies in California have gone on a bond-spree in the early months of 2011.
Houseboat Community Fears Forced Removal Ahead of Olympics
As London prepares to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, new rules about its waterways could force hundreds of houseboat residents out of the city's canals.
Smog Invades the Cowboy State
Unhealthy, smog-filled air has struck an unsuspecting locale: rural Wyoming.
America's Most Expensive Town
Edging out places like Beverly Hills, the town of Aspen, Colorado, has seen its property values on a consistent rise, making it the most expensive town in America.
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
