Community / Economic Development

With no last minute pardons granted, yesterday marked the official dissolution date for California's 400-plus redevelopment agencies. Curbed LA has gathered the essential readings to guide you through the 'developments' at the state and local levels.

February 2, 2012 - Curbed LA

Yesterday, Michelle Obama visited the site of a new grocery store in an impoverished section of Los Angeles to highlight her work in spearheading efforts to improve access to fresh foods and reduce obesity across the country.

February 2, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

A year after Gov. Jerry Brown announced his intent to kill redevelopment and repatriate billions of dollars in tax monies that go to local agencies, the day of reckoning has finally come. Over 400 agencies officially shut down on Feb. 1.

February 2, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Is it justified to believe that a proposed SoHo business improvement district, widely embraced elsewhere in the city, would only attract more hordes of visitors and non-residents? Proponents say that residents are fear-mongering.

January 30, 2012 - The New York Times

In an effort to seek an 11th hour reprieve from the scheduled elimination of the state's redevelopment agencies, two consortiums of cities have filed lawsuits in Sacramento Superior Court, reports Josh Stephens.

January 27, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Ariel Schwartz writes about Popuphood, a project aiming to dramatically revitalize the Old Oakland neighborhood by offering six months of free rent to five retail establishments on one block.

January 27, 2012 - Fast Company Co.Exist

States across the country are expanding legalization of commercial casinos in what many frame as a no-lose proposition. Writing in The New York Times, Paul Davies makes the case against the expansion of casinos in New York State.

January 24, 2012 - The New York Times

When a building in blighted Highland Park, Michigan was demolished, a painted advertisement on the adjacent building was revealed. Nearby, other ghost ads remain, "nearly as bright" as ever. Dan Berry reports on why we're so fascinated by them.

January 24, 2012 - The New York Times

Are cities across the country acting negligently in ignoring the property tax implications of different development types? Joseph Minicozzi thinks so, and he's done the math to prove it.

January 23, 2012 - Joseph Minicozzi

Zappos founder Tony Hsieh and his team went from designing a new campus to an entirely new collaborative city in downtown Las Vegas for Zappos employees and other emerging members of the creative class.

January 23, 2012 - CNN Money - Fortune Tech

Apple's decision to performs most of its engineering and manufacturing overseas, highlights how the US government and the US manufacturing industry can no longer compete internationally. " 'Made in the U.S.A.' is no longer a viable option."

January 23, 2012 - The New York Times

Oklahoma City Mayor, Mick Cornett, discusses the powerful role cities play in job creation and economic stability.

January 23, 2012 - NPR-Morning Edition

With much fanfare, Kansas City was selected in 2011 as the launching site for Google's experimental fast fiber-optic network. Now, a dispute about how and where to run fiber optic lines on poles in the city is causing significant delays.

January 21, 2012 - The Kansas City Star

Ron Nyren examines the various types of projects that will be negatively impacted by California's decision to abandon redevelopment.

January 20, 2012 - Urban Land

Dave Gardetta highlights the work of Donald Shoup and others whose mission is to eradicate the parking minimum in Los Angeles.

January 20, 2012 - Los Angeles Magazine

However one's feelings on zoning, New York City's Resolution has changed over the years to positively reinforce good social initiatives over the outright banishment of negative uses, Julie V. Iovine reports.

January 20, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Steven Pearlstein reads the tea leaves to predict the future development patterns in Washington, D.C. and finds that all signs point inwards to the city center and its closer-in suburbs.

January 19, 2012 - The Washington Post

Next American City Editor in Chief, Diana Lind describes how vital and particular Zoe Strauss' photographs are to the city of Philadelphia, and its cultural and political future.

January 19, 2012 - Next American City

Bruce Katz and Judith Rodin identify the forward thinking and innovative solutions that collaborative groups are implementing to restore prosperity to their communities.

January 18, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

It used to be that Rochester's fortunes were tied to its hometown company, Eastman Kodak. Peter Applebome looks at how the city has managed to avoid the long slide of its famous inhabitant.

January 18, 2012 - The New York Times