According to this article, community gardens can reinvent struggling neighborhoods by causing its residents to "band together."
"'You can change from looking at unemployment and looking at what people don't have to looking at what people have. When you show people growing their own food, everyone eats,' Rhodes said. 'When you go in and you see green-you see flowers, you see gardens-it changes a whole community.'
Chicago has about 15,000 city-owned parcels, most of which are vacant, said Molly Sullivan, director of communications for the Department of Community Development. With much of the land zoned residential, gardens might be a possible use, she said.
'We would think the concept of an urban garden on these residential lots would be fine. What is most important is you have to make sure people can care for the land if it's given to them,' Sullivan said.
The city would like to see any gardens tailored to the needs of individual communities, she said. 'Some want a landscaped English garden or a community vegetable garden,' she said.
FULL STORY: Urban gardening finds a home on Leclaire Ave.
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
‘Micro-Apartment’ Trend Underscores Housing Crisis
SROs are making a comeback under a new name as the housing supply remains strained and costs soar.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
Indian States Give Women Free Bus Passes
The programs are part of an initiative aimed at helping more women join the workforce and improving access to basic needs.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.