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Podcast - The New Demographics: Census 2010 And The American Community Survey

12 April 2007 - 8:00am

This installment features a discussion about how demographic data is changing in the upcoming Census 2010 and the new rolling data collection of the American Community Survey. We talk with census expert Chris Williamson about how new data will be collected, how it's different from what's currently available, and how planners should approach it.

Chris Williamson, Ph.D., AICP, is a Senior Planner for the City of Oxnard, California, and formerly worked at the U.S. Census Bureau developing computer mapping technologies. He is also the author and instructor of the Planetizen online course "Introduction to Census Data, ACS, and Growth".

This podcast also includes the Planetizen News Brief, our weekly analysis of some of the most interesting and important news and issues of the past week.

The Planetizen News Brief airs every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City", which is broadcast in cities across the U.S. Learn more about "Smart City" and listen to archived shows.

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Full Planetizen News Brief Transcript

It’s no mystery that cities like business. More business means more economic activity means more revenue. So, oftentimes, cities will prime the pump by offering tax incentives and subsidies to businesses and developers to attract big money retail projects. But state legislators in Arizona are looking to put an end to this practice. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Phoenix and Scottsdale have at times resorted to outright bidding wars to lure big developments. The lawmakers want to stop this use of public money, and are proposing a one-dollar loss of state funding for every dollar cities spend subsidizing retail developments. Proponents of the bill hope its passage will cut down on the amount of revenue lost to cushy tax incentives. But many worry that without these incentives, retailers will take their business elsewhere and the cities will see an even greater loss of revenue.

And while some cities are thinking about their economic growth, a number of U.S. cities are dealing with huge population growth. Recently released Census figures show that the metropolitan Atlanta region has experienced the most growth in the nation. The region’s population increased by more than 890,000 people in the last six years. The city of Atlanta now has more than 5 million people, making it the 9th largest city in the U.S. But along with the growth has come some negative effects, like longer average commute times and an increased strain on the region’s school systems. However, the growth is expected to continue in Atlanta as long as housing remains more affordable than many other parts of the country.

One type of home you’re sure to find in Atlanta, or in Boise, or in Orlando, or practically any American city, is the ranch-style. The sprawling ranch-style home became hugely popular in middle-class America after World War II. While today many might look back on these homes as retro throwbacks to another less-sophisticated time, preservationists in Chicago have petitioned the city to halt one homeowner from tearing down a recently purchased 1950s ranch home. The Chicago Tribune reports that a group of concerned citizens has campaigned to save this and a number of other ranch-style homes in order to protect their historic value. The dumbfounded homeowner called the move 'ridiculous'. But with his original plans for demolition thrown out the window, the only thing the not-so-proud homeowner can do is move in to his newly historic home.

Stories discussed in this week's Planetizen News Brief

Opposition Growing To Public Subsidies For Retail Mega-Projects

Metro Atlanta Tops U.S. Population Growth

'Historic Value' Prevents Teardown Of Ranch-Style Home

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