Community / Economic Development

Gentrification Concerns Cited in Response to Grand Rapids Development Proposal

A speculative development proposal inspired a show of community solidarity in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

March 19, 2016 - MLive

Tenderloin District

Op-Ed: Overcoming a New NIMBYism

Rick Jacobus argues that those who block new development on social justice grounds aren't fighting to win long-term. Building is necessary, but with it should come robust affordable housing mandates.

March 17, 2016 - Shelterforce

Austin Mixed-Use

Austin Denies Mixed-Use Zoning Change

Following concerns that the change would threaten Thornton Road Studios, a collection of arts and music businesses, the Austin City Council struck down a measure that would allow mixed-use development on the site.

March 17, 2016 - Austin Monitor

Solidarity

Empowered Design, By 'The Crowd'

Crowdsourcing offers a viable resource for planners to empower communities and engage citizens to collectively innovate solutions to complex urban problems.

March 17, 2016 - Lindsey Collins and Kendra L. Smith

The Next Frontier for Compact Walkability? It's Gotta Be the Burbs

Suburban retrofit: what's next in issues, approaches, strategies, and tools.

March 16, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Looking for a Kickstart: City Design Method Cards

The same team that created Cards Against Urbanity is back with an eagerly anticipated new engagement product called City Design Method Cards.

March 16, 2016 - Planetizen

Demonstration Project

New Guide Will Help You Take Action in the Streets

With a grant from the Knight Foundation, Street Plans is creating the "Tactical Urbanist's Guide to Materials and Design" to provide engineer-approved materials guidance for citizen-led demonstration, and city-led pilot and interim design projects.

March 15, 2016 - Mike Lydon

How Federal Housing Programs Built Segregation in St. Louis

St. Louis Public Radio details the work of a local researcher who says the segregation of today's St. Louis is the result of deliberate, decades-long federal housing policy.

March 15, 2016 - St. Louis Public Radio

Coal Mining and Power Station

Hillary Clinton's Surprisingly Blunt Message to Coal Workers

The message was so atypical for a politician wooing votes. "We'll put coal miners out of business," Hillary Clinton warned the audience at Sunday night's Democratic Town Hall in Columbus, Ohio, giving credence to President Obama's "War on Coal."

March 15, 2016 - Courier-Journal

Mapping Grocery Store Closures around New York City

Thought eh majority of grocery stores that have closed in New York City recent years were located in Brooklyn, the issue still spreads far and wide through the city's boroughs.

March 15, 2016 - Curbed New York

A Chronicle of Inequality—Starting with Memphis and Houston

Places Journal has launched a series titled "The Inequality Chronicles." Expect high-quality longform articles.

March 15, 2016 - Places Journal

Denied: Proposed LNG Export and Gas Pipeline in Oregon Rejected by FERC

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied a contentious $7.5 billion Liquefied Natural Gas export facility, pipeline, and power plant in Coos Bay, Ore., which had received environmental clearance.

March 13, 2016 - The Oregonian

Social Equity: The Missing Leg of the Three-Legged Stool of Climate Action

Climate action plans cannot succeed without bona fide action on social equity and job creation, argues Murtaza Baxamusa who teaches planning at USC and develops affordable housing Murtaza Baxamusa.

March 13, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Construction

Brookings: Time to Rethink Economic Development

A new policy paper argues that real economic development reaches all levels of the economy—not just the top.

March 10, 2016 - Brookings Institution

Critic Raises Alarms About North Philadelphia Redevelopment Efforts

The Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer is concerned about the large-scale redevelopment of North Philadelphia, under the leadership of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

March 10, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Transit Sparks Generational Conflict in Virginia's Hampton Roads

A controversy has emerged over the future of transportation in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, especially as it relates to demographics of the coveted "millennial workforce" variety.

March 9, 2016 - The Virginian Pilot

Retail: Walkable Urban Primer with Southwestern Inspiration

Need some pointers on how to make downtown retail sing? Check out Hazel Borys' crib notes on Bob Gibbs' directions.

March 8, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Report: High Housing Costs Responsible for California's Economic Woes, Not Taxes

The Golden State attracts high-end workers, while its high housing costs cause a disproportionate number of low and middle income workers to flee the state. The non-profit think tank, Next 10, delves into this crisis in three new reports.

March 7, 2016 - Next 10

Soldier Field

Economic Development: Do People or Places Come First?

Aaron Renn writes an argument against economic development investments in the form of stadiums, casinos and convention centers—favored by so many local governments.

March 7, 2016 - Governing

Homelessness Growing in Austin—For the First Time in Years

The state capital of Texas is not immune to the growing numbers of homeless in cities around the country.

March 6, 2016 - KVUE

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.