Philadelphis is attempting to reduce concentrations of poverty and increase property values through the development of suburban style homes. But is following this national trend right for the city of brotherly love and its most needy residents?
Citing, Bruce Katz; The Reinvestment Fund's Jeremy Nowak; Harvard's Howard Husock; PHA Executive Director, Carl R. Greene; Mayor John F. Street, and neighborhood residents, Larry Eichel examines the pros and cons of this equitable development strategy.
"Throughout the city, over the last 10 years, the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has demolished old projects and built new communities, with an impact that can be felt citywide...While the new housing is universally considered a vast improvement over the old, the change is not without its critics. They say, among other things, that the new housing costs too much to build, that it looks too suburban, and that not enough of it is available to the people who need it most."
Thanks to Benjamin Cromie
FULL STORY: Rising from Ruins

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont