Community / Economic Development

Denver's Social Media Campaign to Celebrate the City

The Denver Community Planning and Development department unrolled a new social media campaign this week utilizing #favoriteplacedenver to celebrate the city's unique characteristics.

August 23, 2014 - The Denver Post

Planned Epicurean District in Paris Raises the Specter of Gentrification

A new corridor planned as a haven for local gourmet food in the quiet Haut Marais neighborhood of Paris concerns residents with the threat of gentrification.

August 23, 2014 - New York Times

Los Angeles is the Least Affordable Rental Market in the Country

A new study confirmed that the average Los Angeles renter allocates 47 percent of their paycheck towards rent.

August 22, 2014 - KPCC

Interpreting the 'Timeless and Time-Bound' in Cities

In his latest essay on interpretation of the urban environment, Chuck Wolfe suggests that if we take away context clues cities become matrices -- with blank cells to complete -- where each of us personalizes how space meets time.

August 21, 2014 - The Huffington Post

Social Mobility in America: Reality or Dream?

Richard Reeves explains the factors that limit or assist social mobility for people born into the lowest economic quintile in American society.

August 21, 2014 - Brookings Institution

Home For Sale Signs

White Flight Patterns Continue Within the Suburbs

According to a recent study, white flight proliferates even in the suburbs, as suburbs attract large numbers of middle-class minority residents and white residents flee so-called 'ethnoburbs'.

August 21, 2014 - Science Daily

Bloomberg Offers $1 Million Annually for 'Innovation Delivery Teams'

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg began a new program via Bloomberg Philanthropies to invest $45 million for shaking up city halls.

August 21, 2014 - Next City

Nine Women Leading the Public Interest Design Field

Rennie Jones of Architizer highlights nine women pioneering a variety of successful and poignant public interest design projects around the world.

August 21, 2014 - Architizer

Hells Kitchen Sidewalk New York City

Jane Jacobs' Sidewalk Ballet, Gone Forever in New York City?

Alex Marshall discusses whether Jane Jacobs' famous "Sidewalk Ballet" is dead on the streets of New York City.

August 20, 2014 - Governing

Lean Urbanism: A Century-Old Practice?

A short case study in Lean Urbanism, compliments of Victoria Beach, Manitoba.

August 19, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Can Chicago's Tech Boom Benefit the South Side?

With tech businesses setting up shop in Chicago's Loop, what it will take to attract companies out to neighborhoods like Garfield Park and Englewood?

August 18, 2014 - Crain's Chicago Business

Tourism's Negative Effects in Italian Art Cities

With about 353 tourists per resident in the historic city center of Venice, many residents are fleeing the crowds and moving onto the mainland, making the city a "monument-attraction," rather than a viable living space.

August 16, 2014 - Global Site Plans

The Many Benefits of a 'Downtown Ward 7' in Washington D.C.

Efforts to grow a downtown in a historically neglected part of Washington, D.C. would do more than bring business to the area. Studies show that the built environment has huge impacts on health—obesity, asthma, and even teen pregnancy.

August 14, 2014 - Elevation DC

America's Energy Bust

Unlike Texas and N.D, Alaska's oil production peaked in 1988 and continues to decline. An upcoming referendum on oil taxes threatens to reduce energy investment. The North Slope pipeline is carrying such low oil volumes to endanger its safety.

August 14, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Good Design Sparks Rural Community Development

Now more than ever, creative professionals are turning their attention to community development. While this trend toward good design is exciting, it’s harder to find in rural areas. Here are a few ideas from the forefront of rural design.

August 14, 2014 - CommunityMatters

7 Essential Books on the Local Food Movement

Marianne Peters lists seven "classic, must-read" books about the evolving role of locally grown and sold food in the American economy.

August 13, 2014 - Seedstock

Income Inequality Worse in 2 of 3 American Metropolitan Areas

A new report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors highlights the growing income divide, breaking the data down to the local level and finding that income inequality grew in two out of three metro areas between 2005 and 2012.

August 13, 2014 - The Washington Post

Model Neighborhood

The Death of Neighborhoods

In the same vein that Robert Putnam explored decaying community and social capital in American in his work, Bowling Alone, Brian Bethune discusses how the decay of Western communities shapes our health and political realms.

August 13, 2014 - Maclean's

Downtown Denver

Millennial Fever: Taking Stock of Denver Placemaking

Denver's investments in placemaking—guided by the city's great appeal to Millennials—are a mixed bag of hits, misses, and open questions.

August 12, 2014 - Dean Saitta

The Castro

Do Evolving Neighborhoods Mean Dissolving Communities?

Exploding housing costs and changing social attitudes are altering the demographics of established gay neighborhoods in several big cities. As communities become more fluid, do we risk losing their culture?

August 11, 2014 - Mark Hough

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.