Community / Economic Development
McDonald's: Where the Nation Feels Welcome
McDonald's takes a lot of heat for the quality of the food, but most Americans still associate the fast food giant's restaurants, and others like it, with family, community, and good times.
Rural Nursing Homes Closing at Rapid Rates
Nursing homes are closing in large numbers in rural communities as a result of a confluence of market pressures.
The Problem With All Those 'Livability' Rankings
Why is it that smallish cities in western Europe always score so well? Perhaps the underlying assumptions behind ostensibly data-driven "livability" rankings cater to a certain audience and leave most of us out.
Why Are These Prime Boston Properties Sitting Vacant?
Even though they often occupy valuable real estate, some Boston properties have sat vacant in various states of limbo for years.
Study Measures 150 Miles of Informal Footpaths in Detroit, Explores Their Larger Importance
A new study by researchers at Illinois State University and the University of Michigan measured the informal footpaths—also known as "desire lines"—of Detroit.
More Detail on What Happened to 100 Resilient Cities
The Rockefeller Foundation has cited costs and a new strategic direction to explain why it abruptly cut off the program this year. While the work may live on in some form, the move underscores the risks of relying on private funding.
Kaiser Permanente to Construct Highrise Headquarters in Oakland
Following Salesforce's lead, the healthcare giant will relocate to a high-rise urban headquarters, transitioning out of seven locations it currently occupies in the East Bay.
How Some Cities Are Losing People and Staying Prosperous
Population loss doesn't always equate to economic decline. Richard Florida discusses a study examining American metros that are retaining their economic vitality as they shrink.
Two Chicago Neighborhoods—Same City, But Starkly Different Worlds
A dataset on health measures in U.S. cities shows the difference in life expectancy between two Chicago neighborhoods is 30 years.
Tech Execs Call for More Public Transit Funding in the Boston Region
A Red Line train recently derailed on the T in Boston, providing the latest example of the need for drastic measures to course correct public transit in the region.
Legalize Basketball Hoops
Noise and drug dealers are two reasons to remove city-owned basketball hoops every day. Or you could give the public resources for fun and exercise in place, which is what Toronto decided to do this week.
Paddling the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, 50 Years After in Burned
One of the great environmental success stories in the nation, manifested by the joy of paddling a river.
New Jersey to Price Carbon Emissions from Electricity Generation
When the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection adopted new rules for power plants on June 17, the Garden State becomes the tenth to participate in a cap-and-trade program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Successful Metropolitan Areas Prioritize Proximity
Brookings buils on the findings of recent research about jobs densification in cities around the country to make a larger point about the benefits of proximity in urban design, as compared to sprawl.
Google Expanding in Austin
Google is positioning itself to take advantage of the local talent residing in and around Austin.
New Plan to Address Homeless Needed in Denver
After Denver voters rejected the "Right to Survive" initiative in May, the city is looking for new ways to "do better" for its homeless population.
It's Official: Obama's Clean Power Plan Has Been Replaced by the Trump Administration
It took less than a year for the EPA to finalize the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which will allow older coal-burning plants to continue operating, in the Trump administration's most consequential environmental rollback accomplished to date.
A $5.5 Billion Waterfront Plan for Baltimore Wins Opportunity Zone Status
The Port Covington plan was already in line to receive massive subsidies from the city of Baltimore. Now the plan will be the beneficiary of the new federal Opportunity Zone program as well.
Measuring Job Densification Trends in U.S. Metropolitan Areas
A new report details the trend of jobs densification in U.S. metropolitan areas between 2004 and 2015, finding a few large metropolitan areas leading an overall increase in jobs density. Still, many areas are seeing jobs disperse around the region.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
