Social / Demographics
Five Communities That Have Avoided The Subprime Meltdown
While most of the country is feeling the pain of the subprime mortgage crisis, these communities have managed to fly under the radar.
The United States of Gordon Gekkos?
The current housing crisis in America is a product of greed -- not just the greed of homebuilders and mortgage lenders, but also the greed of consumers. Could planners have done more to prevent this greed from crashing the market?
Black-Tie Optional: 'Stepsister' Cities Flourish in the Shadows
Say you're a big city. But right next door is an even bigger big city. What do you do to stand out? Josh Stephens explores the unique plight of America's so-called stepsister cities.
Toronto Mulls Corporate Sponsorship for Parks
Short on funding, Toronto's waterfront parks agency is considering a plan to sell the naming rights to the park's amenities, allowing corporate sponsors to add their name to such public features as walkways and play areas.
Crime Cameras Move Crime, Not Deter It
In San Francisco, "crime cameras" intended to ward of crime and record any illegal activity that occurs have been shown by a recent report to do little to prevent crimes from taking place.
40 Years Later, A Neighborhood's Comeback
The U street corridor in Washington D.C. was a flash point during the 1968 riots. Four decades later, the neighborhood is finally recovering from the aftermath.
Is Suburbia Avoiding Reality?
Michael Gecan uses the Chicago and New York City areas as examples of the challenges facing mature suburbs, examines the ways many are avoiding reality, and draws a series of conclusions.
Jobs Needed to Turn the Lower Class Green
A "green-collar job force" made up of low-income people is necessary to get those with fewer resources on the initially costly green living bandwagon, according to civil rights lawyer Van Jones.
Livin' La Vida Localism
In this article from Metropolis, dystopian author and urban critic James Howard Kunstler riffs on localism.
Friday Funny: The New Gentrification
The nation's gentrified neighborhoods are threatened by new trend.
Cuba Ends Tourism Apartheid
Six weeks after taking office, Raul Castro has lifted the ban on Cubans staying in local hotels.
Suburbia Isn't To Blame For Obesity
New research suggests that urban sprawl doesn't cause weight gain in residents, though it does attract people who are inclined to be heavy and prefer to move around by car.
Sprawl Not an Option for Rural Chicago Suburb
Th small town of Golf, Illinois, is likely to stay that way because of barriers at its borders. Its residents couldn't be happier.
The Plight of Minority Architects
This article from Next American City looks at the decreasing numbers of minority architects and the possible problems this shortage poses to the field and to the planning of cities.
Chavez Seeks Shangri-La with 'Socialist Cities'
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is pushing plans to create "21st century socialist cities" -- communities based on public participation and cooperation -- juxtaposed next to fiercely capitalist developments in the rest of the country.
Americans Are Flocking to Texas
Sixteen percent of all American moving between July 2006 and July 2007 headed to Texas according to Census data released March 27. Four Texas regions were among the top ten destinations, mostly in the South and West.
Census Report Reveals Top Growing Cities
A new report from the U.S. Census shows that the Sunbelt continues to lead the nation in population growth, with Dallas-Fort Worth showing the greatest gains.
Computer Problems Prompt Census Bureau to Rethink Counting Method
Technological issues with the handheld computers to be used in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 Census have frustrated officials and have them considering a plan to return to the traditional paper and pencil counting method of years past.
Why Metro Denver is Desirable
In this article, researcher Richard Florida looks at why and how the Denver area became a "megaregion" and a highly-desirable place to live.
'Tent City' for Residents Only
A "tent city" established in the Southern California city of Ontario for occupation by homeless people has been temporarily shut down as city officials and police attempt to evict people without clear ties to the city.
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
