Social / Demographics
Population Growth Slows for Asians and Hispanics
Minorities are on the rise in the U.S., but the rates of growth for Hispanics and Asians are slowing down, according to recent Census figures.
Caracas, The City that Built Itself
Utopian modernism turned on its head in Caracas, where residents have made fifty-year-old superblock housing projects into the locus of sprawling improvised settlements.
San Francisco's Japan Center Struggles to Shake Urban Renewal History
The ongoing effort to improve Japantown shows just how difficult it can be to shed the past.
Working Families Charged Rent to Live in New York Shelters
Families who have income will now be charged a small rent to stay in public housing shelters in New York City, part of a 1997 state law that had up until now gone unenforced.
The Changing Demographics of the Suburbs
Anaheim, home of Disneyland, is the latest suburban enclave in California to become majority Latino. According to one expert, the shift is due to "two things: Latinos moving in and non-Latinos moving out."
Reviving the Rust Belt
Smart City talks with grass roots and civic leaders about how to revitalize flagging Rust Belt economies.
Public Parks Seeking Private Funding in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida is hoping private funding will come through to save the city's parks, which officials say they can't afford to build or maintain.
Dubai's Migrant Construction Workers Bear Brunt of Downturn
The economic downturn is hurting Dubai, as glitzy skyscraper projects come to a halt. But the biggest pain is being felt among the hundreds of thousands of migrant construction workers who came to the city seeking their fortunes.
California Population Growth Continues To Slow
California's population growth slowed to 1.1% according to the state Dept. of Finance, down from 1.3% last year. Current population is 38.3 million. The LA Times looks at southern CA growth while the SF Chronicle reports on Bay Area growth.
Recession Fuels 'Neighboring'
Community participation is on the rise, and many sociologists think it's related to the recession.
U.S. Cities Fare Poorly in World Livability Ranking
In terms of global urban livability, American cities are not so hot. The highest ranking city, Honolulu, comes in at 29 in the results of the Worldwide Quality of Living Survey.
DOT and HUD, Together Again
DOT and HUD announce a joint effort to merge land use and planning to improve livability. CNU's John Norquist comments on the merger.
Oregon Eyes a Tight Water Future
The municipal demand for water in Oregon is expected to increase by more than 61% by 2050, and many policymakers there are trying to figure out how to meet that growing demand.
Americans Moving Less Amid Recession
Fewer Americans moved over the past year than any other year since 1962, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Rise and Fall of an Arizona Exurb
This article from High Country News dissects the Arizona real estate collapse through the lens of one exurb.
Downtown Bar Culture to Blame for Beatings?
Iowa City's planning commission says yes, and is considering mandating that future bars and liquor stores be more spread out to stop a recent rash of violence in the area.
Affordable Mortgage Plan a Flop, Says Frank
The Hope for Homeowners Act was designed to allow foreclosed homeowners to keep their homes by drawing up new and more affordable mortgages for qualified applicants. Barney Frank is one of many proclaiming it a failure.
Getting Creative with Blight
Encouraging the creative class to rent and eventually own in foreclosed neighborhoods revives blighted neighborhoods, but the strategy isn't without controversy or setbacks.
Amenities Key to Walking, Fitness
People who live within walking distance of amenities like stores, transit stops, and parks are twice as likely to be fit as those who don't, according to a new study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University.
Food Truck Delivers Local Opportunities
A new community program in Rotterdam is bringing a food truck with new eating options -- and business opportunities -- to working class neighborhoods.
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
