Flint
Lead Poisoning in Children Common in Other Parts of the U.S.
The case of the lead contaminated waters in Flint, Michigan has renewed a national discussion of lead poisoning in children across the United States.
How the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Failed the People of Flint
While blame squarely lays with Michigan state officials, agencies, and possibly Gov. Rick Snyder himself, the EPA also played a role by both detecting the cause of the problem but not acting on the reports of improper treatment of river water.
First Step to Restoring Drinking Water for Flint—Coat the Existing Pipes
Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Mich.) announced on Wednesday that the state is working to ensuring safe tap water for Flint residents. While there is no schedule to replace the corroded lead pipes, they are being treated to prevent further lead leaching.
Excessive Lead in Drinking Water Spread to Ohio
Learning from the mishaps shown by state regulatory agencies in Michigan, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wasted no time in beginning a criminal investigation resulting from reports of concentrations of high lead levels in some Ohio homes.
The Erosion of Public Trust
The damage caused by Michigan environmental agencies charged with protecting public health extend far beyond Flint. Residents suffering health effects from a huge natural gas leak in Southern California see parallels with the lead poisoning crisis.
Illustrating the Toxicity of Flint's Water Supply
The Washington Post shows why the Flint water crisis is so concerning for the health of the residents affected.
Michigan Governor Finds Himself at Center of Flint Water Crisis
A case is made that Gov. Rick Snyder's handling of the lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan is analogous to former President George W. Bush's bungling of the crisis resulting after Hurricane Katrina touched-down on the Gulf coast in August 2005.
State of Emergency Declared in Flint Water Crisis
A crisis that stretches back for several months escalated this week, bringing this news of the very bad variety to national attention.
Detroit Receives Funding for Another Demolition Push
A recent influx of money to Detroit for demolitions of abandoned properties brings the city's total to $107 million. That money has established Detroit as the country's proving ground for the idea that demolitions stabilize struggling neighborhoods.
A Better Solution to Reusing Abandoned Property: Evidence from Flint and Detroit
Margaret Dewar of the University of Michigan blogs about her new article in Journal of Planning Education and Research, which investigates reuse of abandoned property in Detroit and Flint. You can download the article free until August 31, 2015.
Inside Flint's Innovative Blight Elimination Plan
A blight elimination plan for Flint, Michigan has take shape over the past year, revealing innovative, community-based strategies for improving vacant properties and stabilizing the city's population.
Planning 'Beyond Blight' in Flint, Michigan
Luke Telendar updates the planning efforts of Flint, Michigan, which earlier this year released its first new master plan since 1960, "Imagine Flint," and has more recently released a blight
Flint, Michigan, Declares ‘War on Blight’
Flint Mayor Dayne Walling used the occasion of his recent State of the City speech to call for a $70 million “war on blight” that would include the demolition of 6,000 buildings.
Shrinking Cities Seek to Shrink Streets
In Rust Belt cities like Flint, Michigan, a loss of population translates to less cars on oversized streets. Angie Schmitt examines how Flint, and other cities like it, are trying to right-size their transportation infrastructure.
New Study Ranks Most Optimistic Cities
Today, Gallup Wellbeing has released new findings on community satisfaction and optimism, evaluating 190 U.S. metro areas based on how residents feel about where they live and where their community is headed.
Learning from Flint's Experience
In this essay from Places, architecture professor Wes Janz documents and ponders the economic decay of Flint, Michigan.
Cities Shrinking to Survive
"More cities in the developed world shrank than grew in the last three decades. More than 40 of those cities were in the United States, according to City Mayors, an urban affairs think tank," writes Gordon Young.
Accustomed to Decline, One Neighborhood in Flint Bucks Trend
Take two seemingly unrelated words: Flint and Gentrification. Now put them together. What you get is an unexpected rebirth in one part of the struggling city -- a neighborhood where home ownership and community investment are actually increasing.
Next Steps for Shrinking Cities: Results of the Planetizen Brainstorm
Bulldoze? Densify? Walk away? There are many ways cities can react to shrinking populations and abandoned neighborhoods. Planetizen readers decide which ways are the best.
Back-To-Nature Plans Stall Innovation
According to this op-ed, allowing cities to de-densify undermines the importance of the city's role in society at large--namely, as a breeding ground for technological and cultural innovation.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
