Community / Economic Development

How might planners advance the dialogue with politicians and citizens for design that supports the 633,782 homeless people in the US? Howard Blackson offers some insights for San Diego, the 3rd largest population of homeless among US cities.

December 17, 2012 - PlaceShakers

Should a business improvement district have an expiration date? That's the question some property owners in downtown Los Angeles are beginning to ask as they chafe at the "aggressive cleaning up" and additional tax assessments that fund them.

December 17, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Lindsey Millar reports on a proposed Creative Corridor plan for Little Rock, calling it “vivid and grandiose, full of all the sorts of things New Urbanists salivate over - a pedestrian promenade, rain gardens, street furniture, [and] LED lighting.."

December 16, 2012 - Arkansas Times

When a city's tightly-gridded, walkable streets are developed with connected, convivial, complete neighborhoods, the temptation to walk, bike, and run overcome the lethargy of our modern lifestyle. See an inspiring photo essay from Wilmington, NC.

December 16, 2012 - PlaceShakers

NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission approved a pilot program for apps that will allow users to request a yellow taxi ride on their smartphones rather than having to “raise [their] arms toward oncoming traffic” the old-fashioned way.

December 15, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

To keep its slowing economy humming, China continues to pump colossal funds into infrastructure projects. With massive stimulus spending comes massive inefficiencies. Naomi Rovnick selects China's most wasteful infrastructure projects of 2012.

December 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Based on five criteria, the Sierra Club has evaluated “the 50 best and worst transportation projects” in the nation, shining light on apparent fiascoes in the making, as well as progressive achievements.

December 14, 2012 - D.C. Streesblog

Ohio has been one of the hardest hit states by the recent wave of foreclosures, with filings continuing to rise. Susie Cagle looks at the variety of state and local policies and programs arming communities with new tools to fight blight.

December 14, 2012 - Grist

Henry Grabar celebrates the recent decision by UEFA, European soccer's governing body, to hold their 2020 tournament in cities across the continent, rather than in one or two countries as has been the tradition.

December 13, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Ronda Kaysen reports on the growing trend in transforming brownfield sites in disadvantaged communities into health centers, "in essence taking a potential source of health problems for a community and turning it into a place for health care."

December 13, 2012 - The New York Times

A dearth of high quality retail spaces in India's largest cities and the growing attraction of large foreign retailers to the country have analysts predicting a boom in commercial development.

December 12, 2012 - The New York Times

With two major transit lines in the pipeline, and several billion dollars of road, bridge, and transit repair and replacement projects planned for the future, Connecticut officials are counting on transit-oriented development to help raise revenue.

December 12, 2012 - The Hartford Courant

In the increasing competition between cities, regions, and states for the highly desirable jobs and industries driving economic growth in these difficult times, community health has become a key ingredient in attracting employers.

December 12, 2012 - Governing

Raleigh, North Carolina didn't take getting placed sixth most dangerous metro area in the country lightly back in 2009, and recently drafted a Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan in response.

December 12, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

In Minneapolis, and cities across the country, surface parking lots are an enduring blight on urban landscapes; their presence often incentivized by existing tax structures. Could a new approach to property taxation maximize the productivity of land?

December 10, 2012 - Streets MN

Planetizen is pleased to release its eleventh annual list of the ten best books in urban planning, design and development published in 2012.

December 10, 2012 - Abhijeet Chavan

After a decade of establishing itself on the global art calendar, the "once-forlorn slab of Miami called Wynwood" is now a year-round must-see destination.

December 10, 2012 - The New York Times

For its inaugural list of the "Public Interest Design 100," PublicInterestDesign.org and research partner the University of Minnesota College of Design have identified the key figures leading the convergence of design and service.

December 10, 2012 - Architizer

Elizabeth Burton reminds us of the close connection between housing and health, and proposes better ways to gauge how housing may affect the health and well-being of residents.

December 9, 2012 - The Guardian (UK)

The formerly industrial shoreline of Puget Sound will soon undergo $4.5 billion worth of engineering projects that will complete Seattle's waterfront transformation, reports Kirk Johnson.

December 9, 2012 - The New York Times