Community/Economic Development

Nearly half of consumers now report that they look for local business information using the Internet, more than any other source.

America's cities and towns have issued nearly $3 trillion in municipal bonds, yet are facing shrinking revenues, budget shortfalls and enormous pension obligations. There are fears that the next financial crisis will be municipal bankruptcies.

A Kansas City design team hopes its model for a prefabricated village can bring "simple, high-quality vernacular architecture" to the country's rural communities.

Grist talks with Galina Tachieva, author of Sprawl Repair Manual.

More tech workers are choosing the city over the suburbs. Now companies themselves are beginning to follow suit, reports Jon Swartz.

Mark Guarino investigates the controversial construction of an expansive new development in the historic Lower Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans.

Officials hope to attract shipping and transportation companies to a new 60,000 acre development near the Detroit Metro and Willow Run airports.

Howard Husock catalogs the accomplishments of Renee Glover, the controversial leader of the Atlanta Housing Authority.

Rolling Stone pundit Matt Taibbi writes that the media are missing the real story: that millions of Americans are financially drowning under home heating costs, gas prices and debt, and the middle class is disappearing.