Business Week looks for the most recession-proof cities, using as their main criteria an abundance of jobs in stable industries like government, health care, and education.
"Topping our list was Arlington, Va., a highly educated urban community just across the Potomac River from Washington, followed by the District of Columbia itself, where many residents work in government or related services. The federal government employs thousands of residents, keeps lawyers, lobbyists, accountants, and journalists busy, and pumps money into the region through outsourcing jobs and multimillion-dollar contracts to companies such as Bethesda (Md.) aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT).
While D.C. didn't enjoy Manhattan's Wall Street-driven growth during the past couple of decades, it's now in an enviable position. The capital has become a hub for companies that do defense and homeland security work in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
'We don't have a Wall Street,' said Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University. 'When there's a crisis like this, the Fed goes out and hires a bunch of people to help out. I suspect they'll bring Wall Street guys to Washington and put them up in hotels or empty office buildings and put them to work.'"
FULL STORY: Some Cities Will Be Safer in a Recession

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
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San Francisco Mayor Backtracks on Homelessness Goal
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How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
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The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.
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
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont