This article from Governing Magazine looks at the planning process along the Gulf Coast as cities and towns look to rebuild, but struggle to decide what to rebuild into.
In Long Beach, Mississippi, the planning process has been long and slow, frustrating many citizens and public officials. Many people have an idea about what they want, but not many of those ideas mesh. Public officials are leaning toward New Urbanism, but the citizens and business owners object to what they see as uncharacteristic of their community.
"One alderman chimed in that he wanted downtown Long Beach to resemble Paris, at least in terms of its stroll-worthy ambiance. Others suggested models closer to home, such as the French Quarter in New Orleans or Ocean Springs, a quaint Gulf Coast neighbor whose sidewalk boutiques and sushi counters survived Katrina pretty well intact. It was then that a faction of merchants who had been grumbling quietly to themselves finally spoke up. 'We aren’t those places,' one of them shouted. 'We live in Long Beach, Mississippi.' Another opponent piped up. 'The fact is, people don’t want to walk,' he protested. 'It can’t happen here.' "
FULL STORY: Mississippi’s Urbanist Odyssey
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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