Those of us whose professional lives are inextricably linked to the real estate development economy in one way or another have had plenty of time in the last year to twiddle our thumbs and attempt to figure out what the heck happened. This much we know — there was a housing bubble some places, it burst, and the economy collapsed. Have you ever slipped and fell – one those unexpected spectacular aerial feats where your feet fly out from underneath you, you look down your legs and see your toes at eye level pointing to the sky, and you say to yourself “this is really going to hurt when I land”? That’s what this year has been like for many, some of whom are still waiting to hit hard because they had projects in the pipeline and they are grinding their way through “inventory” of unfinished work. Plus, we started from a high plateau. Wall Street types call the unexpected but apparent life in the market during the first part of a recession “dead cat bounce” which Forbes defines as “a temporary recovery from a prolonged decline or bear market, after which the market continues to fall.” Even a dead cat dropped from a very high place will bounce a little when it hits the ground…
Recession
Banks Swing Hammers to Finish Homes
Driving on the Rise in America
Zoning Loosened to Help Home Businesses
Tough Choices in Pleasantville, NY
Inside Out: Mortgage Crises, Crime, and California
Drastic Service Cuts in Colorado Springs Redefines "Basic Services"
Americans Moving Less, Getting Rooted
Top Planning Issues Of 2009
Architect Tops List of Hardest-Hit Jobs
The Planetizen News Brief - 12/24/09
4:35 minutes (4.2 MB)
Transit dips in 2008, Buffalo preserves by neglect, and San Francisco expands its borders -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City". Read, listen or download.
Recession Pulls Transit Ridership Down
Libeskind Says Downturn is Right Time for Mega Projects
Last Gasp for Vegas?
Visualizing Unemployment During the Recession
The Rural Recession
The Planetizen News Brief - 9/17/09
4:15 minutes (3.9 MB)
Towns join forces to fight the recession, Portland opens a new light rail line, and a new study reveals surprising results about bike lane safety -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.
Troubled Florida Not Losing Hope Yet
The Planetizen News Brief - 8/6/09
4:10 minutes (3.88 MB)
San Jose on the way to energy independence, two U.S. Cities dabble in bike-sharing, and the 'Detroit of Canada' struggles through the recession -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on the nationally-syndicated radio show "Smart City". Read, listen or download.























