Community / Economic Development

Study Documents the Shifting Racial Boundaries of Gentrifying Cities
New research finds evidence of racial "boundary movements," in older, denser U.S. cities. The research explains more about why gentrification feels like such a powerful force, for those experiencing its effects.

Summer Fun: Pokémon GO and Minecraft for Young Urbanists
Do video games have anything to teach kids? Hazel Borys says yes, in moderation.

Big, Corporate 'Back to the City' Movement Continues
In the latest news, chemical company Chemours will remain in downtown Wilmington, Delaware's largest city. In June, McDonald's decamped from Chicago's suburbs for downtown. This latest corporate trend is the topic of a New York Times article.

Many Cities Now Facing the Challenges of Prosperity
It might be possible for San Francisco residents to feel like the challenges of homelessness, gentrification, and a tech boom, all colliding at once, are unique to their city. Other cities—Denver for example—are facing the same challenges.

China's Urbanization Boom May Be Slowing
After a period of modernization and urban growth unrivaled in human history, several forces promise a slump, or at least a slowing. Maybe it's time to improve existing cities, not keep building new ones.

Rustbelt Cities Continue to Make Play for Millennials
From St. Louis to Baltimore, the Rustbelt Cities are seeing a growing population of millennials as a possible cure to shrinking populations and stagnating economies.
To Bring Water to the Village, Teach Villagers About Water
In Nicaragua, villagers' access to freshwater resources is sometimes impeded by a gap in coordination between the self-governing indigenous communities present there. WaterAid worked with locals in one village to change just that.

Indianapolis Cooler than Brooklyn? Defining the Coolness Factor of Cities
How do you define a cool city? What makes a street or neighborhood hip? It's not too difficult to identify the right ingredients; it's putting them together that becomes the challenge.

San Francisco Debates an Anti-Homeless Fence
The deployment of so-called defensive architecture is in the news again. This time the controversy is in the public realm, as San Francisco considers a fence to keep homeless out of McCoppin Hub.
5 Cities Launch the 'Racial Equity Here' Initiative
The idea behind the "Racial Equity Here" initiative: dismantle systematic racial inequality.

Report: Britain's Suburbs on the Decline
London's central core never experienced the deterioration many American downtowns lived through, but the inner city/suburb dynamic was still at play. Now poverty is moving outward.

Walkability Reaches a Tipping Point
With the rise of globalization, and urbanization, people are rethinking how cities should be structured in terms of transportation and mobility. Is it possible to reconfigure auto-centric cities into pedestrian-friendly spaces?

Pondering the Continued Existence of the 'Rust Belt'
A recent spate of articles has pondered the concepts and planning strategies at work in the region of the country described as the Rust Belt.

An Argument Against Government Incentives for Grocery Stores
Food desert-busting is one of the cross-over opportunities between planning and public health, but it's unclear how effective bringing healthy foods to underserved neighborhoods has been.

New York, Dallas Lead Expanding Office Market
The market for office space has more and more companies looking to lease, according to an industry report.
How Will L.A.'s New Inglewood Football Stadium Revitalize South Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles Rams COO details both the stadium's sustainable design and the positive impact the privately funded complex will have on Southern California.
The Part of Cleveland You Didn't See During the Republican Convention
WBUR's Here & Now ventures outside the Quicken Loans Arena to see a distressed part of the city and region, similar to parts of Detroit and Flint. Residents want abandoned homes demolished. Take the audio driving tour of East Cleveland.

Grants Awarded to Boost Agriculture Projects in Conservation Districts
Forty-two conservation districts in 25 state received grants totaling $2 million this week. The funding will create technical assistance opportunities for urban agriculture and conservation projects.

Participatory Budgeting Catching on in the U.S. and Canada
A new report from Public Agenda tracks the spread of participatory budgeting, and provides guidance for implementing such processes for maximum benefit to public engagement.

20 Years Later: the Redevelopment Legacy of the Atlanta Olympics
It's been 20 years since the city of Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. The city's National Public Radio station is exploring the legacy of the games.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie