Community / Economic Development
Score One For Livability
Senator Dodd's Livable Communities Act passed a milestone on August 3 by passing the Banking Committee on a party line vote: 12-10. Known as a "smart growth planning" bill, it would integrate transportation with housing and economic planning.
The "Instant Cities" of Industrial China
This year China will add 17 million people to its urban population. To house them, places like Guangzhou and Shanghai are constructing 'instant cities.' Christoph Gielen traveled through these developments, documenting the expansion.
Could Meetings on The Subway Become As Common As Graffiti?
The current norm of commuting, which happens all at once and too often by car, is placing too much stress on our infrastructure, our resources and even our emotional health. Melissa Lafsky reports how the structure of our workdays could be changed.
Friday Funny: Elder Speaks of Bygone Suburban Ways
A family elder tells tales of the old ways when the family was "not enticed by the frappucinos at the Starbucks that just opened," and there were park-and-rides as far as the eye could see.
Detroit Light Rail Questioned
An environmental impact study will be launched to look at a possible 9.3-mile light rail line in Detroit. Time's blog questions whether it's really such a smart move to build the line.
An Obstructionist Manifesto
In a recent speech, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown called the people who spoke out against a Bass Pro Shop "obstructionists." One of those obstructionists speaks out about the city's economic development processes, which he calls
Would A World Cup in Qatar Make Sense?
The Middle Eastern country of Qatar is bidding to play host to the 2022 World Cup. But some wonder whether the Cup might do better for the area if it were hosted by a regional coalition.
Drive-Thrus Banned at Birthplace
The city of Baldwin Park, California -- purported home of the world's first drive-thru -- is temporarily banning any new construction of drive-thrus to try to combat obesity.
Revitalizing Downtown in Small and Mid-Sized Cities
Small and mid-sized cities in Canada are taking innovative steps to revitalize their downtowns, and lure businesses and entrepreneurs back.
Eating a "Town Meal" With Local Food
To publicize an urban agriculture project in Middlesbrough, England, organizers threw a town meal for 8,000 people sharing the food grown by the gardens. The growing experiment was so popular that many locals don't want it to stop.
The Daily Commute and The Daily Protest in Mexico City
Frequent street closures due to unregulated protest -- up to about 7 per day -- clog the streets of Mexico City, leaving some hungry for a more active response from the government.
Reviving Struggling Urban Areas with Parks
Three cities -- St. Louis, Houston and Detroit -- have gained new urban parks that are playing big roles in reviving parts of town.
The Harlem 'Under-Line'
Seeking to replicate the success of the High Line linear park in New York City, some are suggesting the creation of a linear small business market beneath a segment of Metro tracks in Harlem.
Benefits and Burdens in Post-World Cup South Africa
The 2010 World Cup has ended in South Africa. What's left behind are a number of physical and cultural legacies that will be both landmark developments and potential economic hazards.
The Neighborhood Carbon Challenge
A neighborhood in Corvallis, Oregon, is the pilot site of a neighborhood-wide "carbon challenge" in which residents try to reduce their carbon footprint.
Mapping Kenya's Largest Slum
A new project has created a digital map of Kibera, a large slum outside Nairobi, Kenya.
The Happy Magic Watercube Waterpark
That's the name of the new project being built in the Beijing Watercube, one of the city's highlight architectural creations built for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Cairo Facing Possible Future of American-Style Suburban Sprawl
Real estate investment is expected to rise sharply in the greater Cairo region. Some fear this will bring about American-style suburban sprawl.
Small-Town Seafood Shack Creates Big Traffic Problem
A popular seafood shack in small-town Maine is causing huge traffic problems. Officials are considering a $100 million solution.
Wineries vs. Churches in Temecula County
The Riverside County Planning Commission is considering opening up more areas to churches, but local wineries are fighting the move, saying that the alcohol business and church don't mix.
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
