Community / Economic Development

Pace of Transformation Quickens in Downtown Phoenix
The Arizona Republic spent the week fêting the "rebirth" of Downtown Phoenix, covering the evolution of the urban core of this sprawling metropolis from several angles.

Vacancy Problem Intensifying Milwaukee's Affordable Housing Issues
The city has plans to increase affordable housing, but some areas are seeing more progress than others.

Poets Describe Their Neighborhoods
The city of L.A.'s poets write about their neighborhoods.

The Uniquely Racial Dynamics of Gentrification in Atlanta
The Guardian published an in-depth exposé of the causes and effects of gentrification in the city of Atlanta.

For Many Charlotte Residents, Affordable Housing Still Isn’t Affordable
Over the last decade and a half, the city has put millions of dollars into affordable housing. But the help is not reaching Charlotte’s neediest residents.

Treasury Department Releases Initial 'Opportunity Zones' Guidance
A big day for developers as the Treasure Department paved the way for an anticipated $100 billion in private investment in underserved communities.

Lawsuit Challenges Cincinnati's Homeless Encampment Ban
The ACLU will challenge Hamilton County's ban on tent cities in court.

IPCC Report Sways Microsoft to Endorse Carbon Fee Initiative on Washington Ballot
A dire report on climate change issued by a United Nations panel influenced Washington-based Microsoft to take a position on a controversial state carbon fee, Initiative 1631. Oil companies are fighting back, citing wide exemptions from the fee.

Report: Cleveland and Akron Showing Strength in the Heartland
While much of the news focuses on declining population and vacant homes, Cleveland and Akron have quietly outperformed many other cities on quality of life.

Economic Development Strategy: More Liquor Licenses
The state of New Jersey makes it difficult, and expensive, to obtain liquor licenses. Some say that policy makes economic development much harder than it could be.

'Nebraska: It’s not for everyone.'
Nebraska has a new tourism campaign, and it's unlikely to be unequivocally popular.

Chicago Moves Forward Legislation on Obama Presidential Center
The former president's Obama Presidential Center, to be constructed in Chicago's Jackson Park, has faced opposition from nearby residents concerned about its effects on the area.

To Reach Goals, L.A. Looks to New Ways to Build Homeless Housing
Los Angeles is grappling with the rising costs of building housing for homeless people. Rethinking the standard process is a way to save time and money.

Alaskans to Choose Between Salmon Habitat Protections and Resource Extraction
A contentious initiative on the Alaska ballot next month pits protecting salmon habitat protections against the interests of the oil and gas industry and mining companies.

Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy
For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.

District By District, Maps Trace Neighborhood Opportunity Across the U.S.
Down to the level of individual census tracts, a team of researchers has developed national maps showing where upward mobility is probable, and where it isn't.

New Research Shows Toronto Highly Segregated Along Race and Class Lines
A closer look at the numbers reveals stark divides among Toronto neighborhoods.

Carbon Taxes and Climate Change Are Focus of Nobel Prize for Economics
The Nobel Prize was issued the same day as a landmark report by the IPCC predicting dire consequences if emissions aren't reduced. That's what William D. Nordhaus of Yale University has devoted his career to addressing.

New Master Plan Envisions Brooklyn Navy Yard as Next-Gen Manufacturing Hub
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation's master plan for the site is a $2.5 billion bet that high-tech manufacturers can be enticed back to New York, bringing with them the economic heft to transform the whole area.

Why Canadian Cities Avoided Detroit's Fate
Simply put, this scholar says, it comes down to race. With far fewer non-white urban residents, Canadian cities didn't fall prey to the redlining, white flight, and incarceration problems that so heavily impacted cities like Detroit.
Pagination
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