Las Vegas and Southern Nevada are chock-full of planned communities. The region is also struggling with some of the harshest declines in property values in the nation. Though planned communities are seeing some sales, they are mainly in trouble.
"Planned communities have long been part of Southern Nevada's landscape, fueled in part by BLM auctions of federal land. Developers of Park Highlands, led by the Olympia Group that paid $639 million for 2,675 acres in November 2005, plan to build nearly 16,000 homes once they emerge from bankruptcy protection, their attorney Richard Holley said May 11.
The master-planned communities are paying the price for the sharp drop in demand for new homes. In 2006 at the end of the building boom, 35,406 new homes sold, but that dropped to 19,446 in 2007 and 9,965 in 2008, according to SalesTraq. Through this year's first quarter, 1,105 homes closed, putting the region on pace to have fewer than 5,000 new-home sales by the end of the year.
Despite these sluggish sales for new homes, planned communities are taking a bigger chunk of the overall sales than a year ago.
In 2008 only 45 percent of new-home closings were in planned communities, including 42 percent in the first quarter. In this year's first quarter, 54 percent of the closings were in planned communities - typically defined as large tracts under the control of a single developer and select homebuilder partners."
FULL STORY: Master planned, but in trouble
Does America Still Want Sprawl?
Increased awareness of sprawl’s negative effects has not led to a drop-off in its construction. Developers say they only build what the market demands.
Planting Relief: Tackling Las Vegas Heat One Tree at a Time
Nevada Plants, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, is combating the city’s extreme urban heat by giving away trees to residents in underserved neighborhoods, promoting shade, sustainability, and community health.
Beltline Surpasses Annual Affordable Housing Goal
The Atlanta Beltline agency is actively working to prevent the displacement of longtime residents along the trail system, where property values are rising rapidly.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie