Community / Economic Development
Real Estate Industry Executives Brace for Republican Tax Reforms
A proposal by House Republicans to overhaul U.S. tax law is gaining traction, aided by the certainty of the Trump Administration. Included among the proposed reforms are changes that could bring an end to a key benefit of home ownership.
Student Planners at the University of Nebraska Making a Difference in Lincoln
Graduate students pursuing the Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have been collaborating this semester with NeighborWorks Lincoln and city and county partners to assess local neighborhoods.
Uber's Self-Driving Cars Leave Hometown for Warmer, and Friendlier Climates
California's loss is Arizona's gain. That's how Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey see's Uber's decision on Thursday to haul their fleet of self-driving Volvos from San Francisco to Arizona after the company refused to secure the necessary operating permits.
Do Factories Belong in Dense Urban Environments?
"Vertical Urban Factory," an in-depth visual and written study of urban industrial structures, is reviewed by urban environment author Carol Berens.

New Seattle Loan Fund Finances Affordable Housing
As excitement builds around Seattle's voter-approved transit expansion plan, the REDI Fund will preserve space for low and middle-income residents in new transit-oriented developments.

Holiday Cheer from Detroit: Downtown Office Vacancies Have Rebounded in a Big Way
A new report on office vacancies in Downtown Detroit shows just how far Downtown Detroit has come in ten years.

New York City Relying on Hotels to House the Homeless
Throughout 2016, New York City has expanded the practice of renting hotel rooms to house homeless people. Now the city is looking for a vendor to shoulder some of the work of finding rooms for those in need.

The Place-Based Magic of 'It's a Wonderful Life'
An examination of the commentary on place found in the classic Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life."
President Obama Enacts Permanent Drilling Ban Along Arctic and Atlantic Coasts
In a precedent-setting action that supporters call creative and opponents view as abusive, President Obama has declared a permanent drilling ban off the Atlantic coast from Virginia to Maine and along much of the Alaska coast. But will it last?
Transforming Vacant Properties Into Creative Hubs for Communities
The Renewal Project examines the work of the House Life Project in Indianapolis.

California's Birth Rate Drops to Lowest in Recorded History
Fewer babies are being born in the nation's most populous state, now estimated at 39.4 million residents, according to new data by the California Department of Finance. The state grew by .75 percent, adding 295,000 people in the year ending July 1.

The Evidence for Houston as a World Class City
Houston is famous among urbanists for many reasons: its lack of traditional zoning, its perpetual growth, and its position in the oil industry are just a few examples. Here, Wendell Cox argues that the city is still under appreciated.

How Equitable Infrastructure Investments Benefit Everyone
A call for the country to focus its infrastructure investments to the most vulnerable and neglected populations—and watch the benefits compound.

Low Cost Housing Units Disappearing from Philadelphia's Gentrifying Neighborhoods
Researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia find evidence of displacement in Philadelphia's gentrifying neighborhoods.

Minneapolis Pulls Out of its Regional Economic Development Partnership
The Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership (Greater MSP) will now longer have funding support from the city of Minneapolis.

The Most Popular Planetizen Posts of 2016
No Electoral College needed: these were the most popular Planetizen posts from the year 2016.

Embracing Rivers as a Vehicle for Urban Revitalization
A new study includes urban rivers as a potential powerful amenity for economic development and revitalization. The city of Chicago has already taken note.

Philadelphia Goes High-Tech to Monitor Vacant Properties
The city of Philadelphia has deployed high-tech sensors and a new statistical model in its ongoing fight against the blight and health problems that follow vacant and abandoned properties.
Wildlight: New Urbanism's Answer To Lowcountry Living?
Is it possible to create a community combining the best elements of Lowcountry southern living, cuisine, and architecture with industry and New Urbanism?

Madrid to Build Mega Casino, Betting on New Jobs and Tourist Dollars
Spain's capital may build a huge casino, but many fear that the facility will flounder in the way similar mega-projects have in the past.
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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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service