Community / Economic Development

Friday Funny: The Onion Likens Gentrification to a Butterfly's Metamorphosis
The satirical website takes on the darling of community and economic development: the local craft brew industry.

'Citizen Jane' Sets the Battle Lines for the Future of Cities
Coinciding with the 101st anniversary of Jane Jacobs's birth, a documentary film showing in select theaters around the country recounts the history between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses, and the ideas that forced their struggle.

After Measure S: Los Angeles Leaders Ponder Growth and Equity
The controversy over the recent ballot initiative known as Measure S has Los Angeles thinking: How can the city accommodate new housing supply without disenfranchising communities?

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Reverse Obama's Coastal Drilling Ban
So much for that so-called "permanent" ban that President Obama enacted by President Obama in December to end oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean and off the central-northern Atlantic coast.

A Path to Looser Land Use Regulations
Harvard economics professor Edward Glaeser discusses the research on local land use controls, and why it makes sense to reevaluate them. Successful approaches may start at the state level.

An Ambitious Revitalization Partnership in Detroit
Bringing together the city, developers, and philanthropic support, Fitz Forward aims to redevelop 300 parcels. Backers hope it will serve as a model for other neighborhoods.

What Makes For a 'Day 1 City'?
Can we use Jeff Bezos's distinction between "Day 1" and "Day 2" companies to compare cities? If so, Pittsburgh may be a prime example of the former.
A Community Benefits Proposal is Ignored. Is Displacement Far Behind?
A tent city occupation in Atlanta is among several recent actions in cities around the country. Residents fearing displacement at the hands of publicly supported private development are organizing, and running for office, against it.

Cultivating Oklahoma City's Innovation District
A new Brookings Institution reports recommends strategies for Oklahoma City to continue to grow the influence of its innovation district.

Bad Bets on Detroit Housing Speculation
When investors from Belgium and elsewhere snapped up Detroit houses for a song, some of them didn't consider the full picture. The lesson: do your research, and maybe don't invest thousands of miles form home.
Chicago's Wabash Lights Concept Could Expand
An art instillation of colorful LED lights hanging under the L on Wabash looks to grow.

Op-Ed: Cities Still Subsidize Everyone Else
Donald Trump rode waves of anti-urban sentiment to the White House. But is some city smugness forgivable if urban economies subsidize rural places?

Debating the Role of Amazon Delivery Service in the Future Built Environment
The team at Strong Towns is taking an in-depth look at Amazon, with a week of events, including the point-counterpoint series shared here.

Reviews for 'Citizen Jane: Battle for the City'
Two publications likely to find an audience with people sympathetic to the cause of Jane Jacobs reviewed the latest film about her political battles with Robert Moses for the soul of New York.

Coal Country Warms-up to Solar Power
President Trump may be stuck in a past era of thriving coal mines, but at least one forward-thinking coal company sees lucrative opportunities in using reclaimed mountaintop strip mines as sites for solar farms.

The World's Best City for Street Food Bans Street Food
The city of Bangkok, Thailand, is famous for its cheap and flavorful street food. City leaders, however, have decided that the city would be less appealing without street vendors.
Florida Man Fails to Fix Everything, Reconsiders Position
Richard Florida was right about everything, except when he wasn't. Ben Brown brings us up to speed on the Creative Class.

The Suburbs Will Lose the Most in an Era of Shrinking Retail
As brick and mortar retailers shed jobs and stores, suburbs will lose the most in terms of tax revenues and amenities.
Report: Reform, Don't Eliminate, the Community Development Block Grant Program
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is under the microscope. As the Trump Administration considers eliminating the program, the Urban Institute recommends a less-is-more approach.
'NIMBY' Too Gentle a Word: How About 'New Urban Luddites'?
Richard Florida calls for the use of the term "New Urban Luddites" to describe the embedded interests that obstruct the growth of cities. The consequences of New Urban Luddite politics, according to Florida, are too severe for such an innocuous term.
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