Community / Economic Development
Four Steps to Enhanced Crowdsourcing
The second "Empowered Design, By 'the Crowd'" article offers insight into making the most out of new crowdsourcing resources.
Op-Ed: Habitat III Should Consider Food Systems
The UN's Habitat III conference will be held in October of this year. Thomas Forster argues that urban areas are being considered in isolation, without enough attention to rural areas and food systems.
Op-Ed: Investing in Cities Could Cure 'Short-Termism'
Bruce Katz argues that federal investment in urban areas fosters a public/private ecosystem that can prioritize long-term thinking, minimizing the "short-termism" endemic to corporations and governments acting alone.
New Storefront Index Reveals Evidence of Jacobs's 'Sidewalk Ballet'
City Observatory illustrates a key contributor to a vibrant urban environment by mapping all of the businesses in the urban cores of the nation's 51 largest cities.
Visions of Revitalization Compete in Baltimore
A grassroots housing plan in Baltimore would keep control over neighborhood revitalization, and its benefits, in communities.
Bringing Pedestrian Life Back to Little Havana
Planners have set their sights on the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami with the goal of turning the area's car-centric Calle Ocho into a ped-friendly Main Street.
How Planning Fails to Make Women-Friendly Urban Places
Planning decisions overwhelmingly don't address women's needs, according to an article in The Huffington Post.
Researchers Build Model for Predicting Gentrification
A team of researchers in London believes it can predict future gentrification. The model is built on evidence of social diversity, which is often thought of as a positive outcome.
Letting Kids Design the Cities of the Future
The Box City event held in Denver recently educated children on the process of planning by letting them create their own version of a city.
Where Have All the Writers Gone?
Aaron Renn identifies the negative effects of ongoing concentration of media professionals of the "writer" variety in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
Expected Budget Cuts Hurt Port Modernization Prospects in Anchorage
The Alaska Legislature snubbed the Port of Anchorage due to a huge state budget shortfall. The port handles 90 percent of the state's freight and is a vital national security facility.
Paris Climate Agreement Signed, but Troubles Loom in the U.S.
On Earth Day, NPR looked at the intersection of the Paris Climate Agreement, which Secretary of State John Kerry signed at the U.N. on Friday, and President Obama's Clean Power Plan which has been given a pause by the Supreme Court.
Treasury Department Announces $1 Billion for 'Hardest Hit Fund'
A $1 billion funding allocation from the Treasury Department to the Hardest Hit Fund is the fifth since 2010.
How Cities Are Responding to Rising Commercial Rents
A new report examines how high rents are shuttering businesses and stunting entrepreneurship, exploring six strategies used by cities to create an affordable built environment, where local businesses can thrive.
Artists Plan a Mini Golf Course to Teach About Zoning and Gentrification
An art installation called "The Back 9" is planned for Los Angeles' Skid Row to tackle the issues of gentrification, zoning, and back room deals for development rights.
A Special Place for Ugly Buildings
A paradoxical encomium of sorts for the benefits of ugly buildings to the experience of cities.
Invest STL's Community Development Efforts Have Regional Scope
The St. Louis region now has its first community economic development system. Invest STL, as its called, will work to create "a pipeline of place-based, neighborhood-led development projects."
Business Groups Sue Portland Over Homeless 'Safe Sleep Policy'
The Safe Sleep Policy, enacted by the mayor in February without City Council approval, allows homeless people to sleep in tents in select public areas and on sidewalks. Now a coalition of business groups says the policy was an overreach of power.
Primaries vs. Caucuses from a Planner's Perspective
In the middle of presidential primary season, the debate about the caucus vs. primary processes is hot with criticisms being leveled on both sides. What can planners learn about this debate to help improve community engagement for planning?
From Ideas to Action: Cheaply, Quickly, Fairly
Applying ideas of Lean Urbanism to the charrette process can establish an agreement about values and rules for planning in ways that make it renewable.
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
