Community / Economic Development

"Since the beginning of 2011, 180 bills restricting voting and voter registration have been introduced in 41 states. Over 70% of the electoral votes needed to win the 2012 Presidential election will come from states with new restrictive voting laws."

October 25, 2012 - Shelterforce Magazine

What might have been a business story about the failure of a local coffee chain - and not a small one at that - to compete against the mighty Starbucks becomes more of a description of what Seattle is all about, and urbanity plays a major role.

October 25, 2012 - The New York Times - U.S.

Two entrepreneurs and brothers take urban development matters into their own hands. The result? Lured by a contest offering free rent, and the associated buzz, Birmingham's South Avondale finds itself in the midst of a cultural renaissance.

October 25, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Sue Illman thinks so. And in this editorial for The Guardian, she argues that the success of the High Line signifies a new era in which the quality of our parks and public spaces, rather than our skylines, makes our towns and cities stand out.

October 24, 2012 - The Guardian

Now that Mayor Bloomberg has had his say in what New Yorkers drink, Alan Brake argues it's time for the next mayor and his partner in Albany to focus on what they eat, by devising a plan to link New York's upstate farms with its downstate markets.

October 24, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

In the first of a new series of articles tackling urban livelihoods, Caroline Skinner explains why the informal workforce matters, and offers six strategies for developing more inclusive urban planning processes.

October 24, 2012 - The Global Urbanist

A few miles west of the District of Columbia, Tysons (formerly Tysons Corner) in Fairfax County is emerging as an economic powerhouse. Will this Virginia community overtake the Nation’s Capital?

October 23, 2012 - The Washington Post

Recent studies show that upwards of 77% of Millennials are opting to live in urban areas. The impact on the local economy will be huge, IF urban planners rethink how we build our downtowns.

October 23, 2012 - ICIC Inner City Exchange

Since the September 11 attacks, the areas in and surrounding Lower Manhattan have experienced an increase in the population of young, educated workers, reports Sam Roberts. Farther-off suburbs are seeing their share of such high-value workers shrink.

October 23, 2012 - The New York Times

Close to twenty five years after Denver debated the future of its historic, but blighted, Lower Downtown district, the city is reaping the benefits of its decision to preserve the “region’s largest collection of urban historic buildings.”

October 21, 2012 - Urban Land Magazine

In a provocative essay, Mitchell Sutika Sipus examines the dangers of subscribing to conventions such as style or planning trends, and argues why planners must forgo ideologies to create better solutions for community problems.

October 20, 2012 - Humanitarian Space

Charles Marohn discusses the CNU NextGen initiative "Investment Ready Places" by Street Sense. The new booklet provides strategies for identifying and investing in America’s “new frontier for development.”

October 19, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

In the next 20 years, the D.C. area is expected to have nearly 3 million job openings. With the resulting demand for new, diverse and more affordable housing outpacing supply, some fear that the city’s housing deficit will derail its robust economy.

October 19, 2012 - Greater Greater Washington

City officials and leaders are considering an adaptive reuse ordinance for industrial buildings, modeled on the one that helped spark downtown L.A.’s residential boom, to help push forward the sputtering vision of a "CleanTech Corridor."

October 19, 2012 - Los Angeles Downtown News

One of the last major developments of Las Vegas's recent building boom, MGM's $8.5 billion CityCenter opened during the depths of the recession. Three years later, after slashing prices for hotel rooms and condos, the clouds are beginning to lift.

October 19, 2012 - The New York Times

Just outside of D.C., the Capitol Heights Metro station sits among empty parcels with brown grass and tall weeds, as the economic development that was to accompany the station never materialized. Will a proposed Wall-Mart come to the area's rescue?

October 18, 2012 - The Washington Post

Kelly Morphy provides tips and strategies on improving civic engagement - the key to healthy communities and desired outcomes.

October 18, 2012 - Better Cities & Towns

Small towns like Carmel, Indiana have gained national prominence after redeveloping into "cities where people can live, work and play," writes Haya El Nassar.

October 18, 2012 - USA Today

A lawsuit filed this week against Morgan Stanley claims that the predatory lending practices that grew the housing bubble violated federal civil rights laws, an ironic echo of a time when housing policies prevented blacks from obtaining mortgages.

October 18, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Young architectural firm, TYIN Tegnestue, proves that good design can be affordable, and that architecture can be used to help solve some of the world's existing social ills, rather than exacerbating them, writes Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan.

October 17, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist