Community / Economic Development

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivers remarks at his swearing-in ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

Raised interest rates may kill financially vulnerable construction projects

The chief economist at ConstructConnect warns that if construction project owners are negatively impacted by the raised rates, it could result in delayed payments to contractors.

September 18, 2026 - Construction Dive

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 16, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Crowds in front of a theater

Why city hall doesn't know your music venue is a music venue (and why that matters)

Data shows that cultural venues have long lacked proper classification — which is why so many fall through the cracks.

September 10, 2026 - Chewi Lockhart

Giant Louis Vuitton "trunk" facade on NYC LV store.

The building wears Prada: Fifth Avenue designers raise the bar on sidewalk sheds

New York City fashion houses are getting creative with scaffolding.

August 9, 2026 - Curbed

COver of "Fortunate People in a Fortunate Land" book with photo of Santa Monica buildings and beach at sunset.

A masterful, human-centered defense of rent control

Book Review: "Fortunate People in a Fortunate Land" offers a human look at how rent control is more than just numbers and data in a spreadsheet.

August 3, 2026 - Jennifer Hiatt

Three-story white brick residential buildings with retail on ground floor/basements in Washington D.C.

Is this the first wave of de-gentrification?

Valencia, Temescal, H Street and the fickle fortunes of the gentrified neighborhood.

July 31, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

Front of California state attorney general building in Sacramento, California.

Can California's office buildings accommodate its return-to-office mandate?

Gov. Newsom's return-to-office mandate impacts roughly 109,000 state workers.

July 10, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Man walking multiple dogs in leasehes under sidewalk scaffolding in New York City.

NYC to open city-funded pet food pantry

The 2027 budget agreed on by the mayor and city council includes $750,000 for a city-funded food pantry for struggling pet owners.

July 8, 2026 - Good Good Good

Amusement park boardwalk in Palm Beach, Florida with colorful booths and Ferris wheel.

America faces a 'fun shortage'

The United States has lost nearly a third of its bowling alleys and a fifth of its movie theaters since 2001.

July 7, 2026 - Bloomberg

Colorful mural in Denver parking lot.

Denver mayor pushes for cheap downtown parking, says promoting transit is 'not our strategy'

The 'Mayor's Park $5' program encourages local businesses to reduce their parking prices to bring more people downtown.

July 6, 2026 - Denverite

Rendering of public plaza with peopple and benches at night in California forever planned development.

Tech investors lobby to bypass environmental review for 'California Forever' project

The backers of a proposed new community in the California Bay Area want the state to approve an 18-year-old environmental review that would let them go ahead with a major shipyard project.

July 1, 2026 - CALmatters

Womontown historical plaque next to houses in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the 1990s, Kansas City's Womontown offered queer women community and independence

A group of women created a safe space that gave them the opportunity to buy homes and build wealth in a supportive community.

June 30, 2026 - Rewire News Group

Playground at the Obama Center in Chicago visible behind fence.

Obama Center opens nation's first presidential playground

The 21,000-square-foot play space is the first of its kind to be attached to a presidential library.

June 27, 2026 - Block Club Chicago

People sitting on grass in park in Milan, Italy with grove of willows and a vertical forest skyscraper in background.

Planning for Love, Part 1: The link between urban form and dating

A brief exploration of dating through history highlights how the spaces in which we live and move shape our social lives and relationships.

June 26, 2026 - Hannah Kosoff

A bike lane next to a walkway by the Estadio Azteca stadium in Mexico City.

Tensions flare over bike lane in Mexico City red light district

A new bikeway separates cars from the sidewalk, posing a problem for workers who typically engage in curbside negotiations with clients.

June 25, 2026 - Momentum Magazine

Collage of six book covers.

10 great urban planning summer reads

Wherever you're going (or staying) this summer, here are some suggestions for books to bring along.

June 12, 2026 - Stephanie Rouse

People walking in downtown Detroit, Michigan.

The nation's 10 'stickiest' downtowns

How often do residents visit your downtown?

June 9, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Photo of author Charles T. Brown wearing a brown scarf and looking down while smiling next to book cover of his book Arrested Mobility.

'Arrested mobility' and the fight for Black movement

Author Charles T. Brown explains how his experience growing up in rural Mississippi shaped his worldview and his current work for equitable transportation.

June 8, 2026 - Charles T. Brown

Float supporting rent control with "Vote rent control now" banner behind several sitting people drives through Oakland Pride parade in 2024.

Oakland residents fear AI-fueled gentrification

The new tech boom that's driving up rents in San Francisco could have rippling impacts on East Bay communities.

June 5, 2026 - Oaklandside

Large data center under construction in New Albany, Ohio.

After the servers go dark

The rise and fall of communities with decommissioned nuclear facilities hold critical lessons for those considering hosting data centers.

June 4, 2026 - Jim Hamilton

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.