Community / Economic Development
Reinventing Des Moines
Fairly or unfairly, Des Moines has a solid reputation as one of the nation's least interesting cities. But unbeknownst to the rest of us, this quiet working town might become the Midwest's answer to Austin, Texas.
Food Carts Could Make Way for High Rises in Portland
Several big stories, all rolled into one, are emerging in Portland. Changes in zoning have paved the way for high-rises that are proposed for the existing location of the city's famous food stalls.
Obama Budget Includes $11 Billion for Homeless Families
Among the wish list of spending priorities included in the Obama Administration's draft federal budget—$11 billion in funding to address family homelessness.
Urban Fringe the New Frontier in China's New Urbanism
The Chinese government wants an influx of nearly 100 million new urban residents by 2020. In order to accommodate a migration of this nature, China's urban planners are tasked with creating cities to be more livable.
This Valentine's Day, Celebrate Neighborhood Revitalization With #LoveThatLot
The #LoveThatLot campaign is the Center for Community progress' way of celebrating the hard work of transforming vacant, blighted properties into neighborhood assets and amenities.
One Simple Way to Anger Pedestrians: Give Snow Removal Priority to Cars
A large backlash followed a large winter storm on the East Coast.
Homeless Are No Longer 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' in Booming Cities
One of the sad contradictions of the revival of core urban areas has been the clash between waves of investment and affluence with large populations of homelessness. Many cities are still coming to terms with the issue, much less solving it.
Heady Market in Chicago's North Side Drives Teardowns
Lakeview, located north of Lincoln Park and adjacent to Lake Michigan, leads the city by a wide margin in residential teardowns over the past five years. Local developers are selling new homes for four times the original price paid.
Op-Ed: Sharing Cities We Can Trust
Duncan McLaren and Julian Agyeman launch a withering critique of the sharing economy as we know it, and envision "sharing cities" built around technologies that put community before commerce.
Filling in the 'Missing Middle': No New Wheels, Please
A new crop of developers are delivering fine-grained urbanism. Ben Brown checks into their boot camp and provides an update on the movement.
Everyone Wants a Piece of Havana—Can Cuba Keep Up?
Cuba and its capital city of Havana are experiencing several, simultaneous revolutions. The opportunity for residents is also an opportunity for developers and architects, as well as a challenge for planners.
The Trouble With Using GDP to Measure Economic Growth
Following recent bad news about the sluggish growth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), the Brooking Institution reminds policy makers that growth does not necessarily trickle down to economic well-being.
How to Beat Extreme Heat
Louisville, Kentucky has recently been named the "most rapidly growing urban heat island" in the U.S., but what led to this title? Jeff Byles traces how cities are becoming increasingly warm through a number of different factors, including economic.
Houston's Lower-Income and Minority Communities Face Lack of Access to Medical Care
Maps showing the concentration of medical facilities in Houston, shows a greater density in higher-income areas.
Wave of Walmart Closures Cuts Across the Rural, Urban Divide
January marked an unprecedented contraction for Walmart, which closed 269 stores, including all 105 of its small format Walmart Express stores.
Digging Deeper Into the Deal That Brought GE to Boston
The big news about GE moving to Boston is more than just a story about a large company moving from the suburbs to the big city—it's also about how far cities will go to attract new jobs, and at what cost.
Eminent Domain an Issue in Republican Presidential Primary, Again
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is using a new ad against GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, a billionaire real estate developer, based on his use of eminent domain against an elderly woman in Atlantic City. Trump strongly defended using the controversial tool.
The Plan to Bring 50,000 People Back to Akron, Ohio
Down to a population of 197,859 from its 1960 peak of 290,351, the city of Akron is looking for a way to bring people back to its community. One thing Akron has going for it already: an enthusiastic champion of the cause.
Charrette: A Social Innovation Lab
When charrettes and public design workshops reach their most inclusive and transparent forms, do they become social innovation labs? Hazel Borys thinks so.
Philadelphia's Old City Finally on a Roll
The comeback story for the city of Philadelphia's oldest neighborhood—Old City—displays the power of community organization and deliberate planning.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
