This post from NRDC's Kaid benfield compares the two Florida cities of Lehigh Acres and Venice, where land use decisions created one city doomed to fail and another that's on a fast rise.
"[S]ales are on the increase in Venice, where prices did decline in the last year, but by less than two percent. 22 percent of the houses currently for sale in Venice are in some stage of foreclosure; that sounds like a lot until you consider that in Lehigh Acres the portion is 56 percent. Perhaps the most telling difference between the two is the average sale price per square foot, which in Venice is almost three times that in Lehigh Acres ($110 as opposed to $38).
Writing in the St. Petersburg Times in August 2009, Kris Hundley called Lehigh Acres 'Florida's lesson in unregulated growth.'"
The two cities are the focus of an upcoming documentary from PBS, which compares the walkable and compact Venice to the sprawling and rapidly declining Lehigh Acres.
FULL STORY: A tale of two cities in Florida, where walkability trumps sprawl – again
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Zoning for Good
A new book highlights the power of zoning to change communities for the better.
Promoting Infill Development for a Denser Houston
An advocacy group is calling for ‘sustainable, vertical’ mixed-use urbanism in the famously sprawling city.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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