Community / Economic Development

Yuppies Out

Op-Ed: Newer Model Density Falls Short of its Promise

The general principle is simple: more density equals lower prices and less environmental impact. But suburbia's imprint is deep, both on cities themselves and on how we expect to inhabit them.

July 27, 2015 - Grist

Boston Aerial

Boston Olympic Plan Includes 8,000 Units of Housing

As it vies to host the 2024 Summer Games, Boston's plan envisions two new permanent neighborhoods built with a mix of public and private investment. The final decision will take place in September.

July 26, 2015 - Boston Globe

Poverty Shifts to the Twin Cities Suburbs

A recent report finds that more people are living in poverty in suburban areas than in the more urban areas of the Twin Cities region.

July 25, 2015 - MPR News

Community is Common Ground for Liberals and Conservatives

Supporters of New Urbanism may live across the political spectrum, but they all want to live in traditional neighborhoods.

July 24, 2015 - Pacific Standard

Arcata Downtown

California City Looks for Place to Stash Its Weed (Production)

The Northern California city of Arcata has long tolerated the production of California's most second-most-lucrative mood-altering crop. Now, the city is considering an official zoning designation to accommodate marijuana production.

July 24, 2015 - Next City

A Simple Approach to Abandoned Buildings Improved Crime in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia's Doors and Windows Ordinance applied the Broken Windows Theory to positive results.

July 22, 2015 - Pacific Standard

Hospital Care Returns to the Communities of South Los Angeles

A $250 million project, eight years in the making, returned inpatient hospital care to the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles.

July 22, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

Learning from the Las Vegas Recovery

The recovery of Las Vegas, hit hard by the Great Recession, resembles the recovery of the rest of the country—uneven and innovative.

July 20, 2015 - The Economist

iUrbanism

Insightful designers continue to seek a better future for Los Angeles architecture by way of L.A. urbanism.

July 20, 2015 - Places Journal

Portland to Buy Land for Homeless Camp

The city of Portland has allocated funding for the purchase of land reported to be under consideration as the new location of a large homeless camp called Right 2 Dream Too.

July 19, 2015 - The Oregonian

Friday Eye Candy: Map Shows Every Job in the United States

Looking for granular illustrations of the details of local economies? Look no further.

July 17, 2015 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Backyard Pool

Doomed Suburbs

Alana Semuels describes the structural forces that had led Cincinnati's Lincoln Heights neighborhood to the brink of extinction.

July 15, 2015 - The Atlantic

West Virginia Communities Respond to a Growing Number of Food Deserts

Communities in West Virginia are organizing and working to fill their needs for healthy, fresh food as grocery stores in the region close.

July 15, 2015 - WV Public Broadcasting

The Inuit: A View From the Top of the World

A little history on the Inuit of the Circumpolar Region as the kickoff in a blog series by Hazel Borys

July 13, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Boston innovation district banner with lofts

Status Report: the Rise of Innovation Districts

Last year, the "innovation district" rose to prominence as a way to describe urban knowledge economy epicenters. This report from Bruce Katz and Brookings describes how the phenomenon continues to evolve.

July 12, 2015 - Brookings

Stopping Development—How Far Is Too Far?

Fierce business competitors have to step lightly to avoid liability under American antitrust law and 'commercial interference' torts. A recent report takes a comprehensive look at where the line is when it comes to stopping a development project.

July 12, 2015 - The International In-house Counsel Journal

Houston's Main Street Crosses a Spectrum of Wealth and Poverty

A feature in the Houston Chronicle explores the economic segregation of Houston along the axis of Main Street—with low income neighborhoods like Independence Heights to the north and affluent neighborhoods like Old Braeswood to the south.

July 10, 2015 - Houston Chronicle

Lessons for a Career's Worth of Community Engagement

Community engagement on planning subjects is fraught with the potential for boredom and political conflict. The former mayor of Chattanooga recounts lessons gained while combating those possibilities over a 40-year career.

July 10, 2015 - Governing - City Accelerator

The World's Largest Ferris Wheel Finds its Footing on Staten Island

The foundation is being laid for the world's largest Ferris wheel on State Island. Will it succeed where so many efforts to bring tourists to the Fifth Borough have failed?

July 9, 2015 - The New York Times

The Passaic River: A Postindustrial River Reimagined

Writer Jeff Byles chronicles the Passaic River's relationship to Paterson, New Jersey and how its revival can prove beneficial for the city in this second installment of the Paterson series.

July 8, 2015 - Doggerel

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.

Comprehensive Bikeway Design Workshop

Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University

Early Bird Deadline – save on your tuition fee!🚨

Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)

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.