Community / Economic Development

The Boon in British Cycling

A new report from the London School of Economics looks at the “cycling economy” that is taking the United Kingdom by storm and the economic benefits generated by individual cyclists.

August 25, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

L.A. River Opens to Paddlers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave approval to kayakers and canoeists to paddle down a 1.5 mile strip of the L.A. River that is deemed by the federal government safe enough for public recreation, reports Michael Martinez for CNN.

August 24, 2011 - CNN

Rent Program Aims to Help Jews Return to Detroit

A Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit program called CommunityNEXT is raising funds and providing a $250 rent subsidy for those that chose to live in Detroit's downtown of Midtown.

August 24, 2011 - The Detroit News

Creating A Silicon Valley in Russia

Officials in Russia are hoping to create their own version of Silicon Valley by luring tech companies to the Skolkovo innovation hub.

August 24, 2011 - Financial Times

The Controversy Over Sports Stadiums Continues

It appears that everyone is talking about the impact that sports stadiums have on urban economic development. As soon as one person says they're a terrible idea, another article will retort the benefits brought to a given city.

August 23, 2011 - Initiative for a Competitive Inner City

Struggles and Success in Two Neighboring Stadium Towns

Two neighboring towns -- one with a bustling soccer stadium and the other with a struggling minor league baseball stadium -- offer a story of changing times in the U.S.

August 23, 2011 - The New York Times

TOD Booms in California

Transit oriented development is on the rise in California, with new projects being pushed in conjunction with new rail lines in Southern California and the Bay Area.

August 23, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

How to Turn Around the FHLB's Economic Development

The lackluster performance of the Federal Home Loan Banks' economic development could be improved by following the model of their own Affordable Housing Program, writes Carol Wayman.

August 23, 2011 - Shelterforce

My Future City is Houston?

The BMW Guggenheim Lab has released an online urban planning game called "Urbanology," which asks a serious of questions to determine the type of city you think is the future.

August 22, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

How New Yorkers Saved Their Public Spaces

Laura Vanderkam tells of a not-too-distant past where New York's parks and public places were in disarray, and it took public-private partnerships to bring them back to their former glory (and maybe better).

August 22, 2011 - City Journal

Publicly-Funded Stadiums Bad Deal for Cities

Sports teams often coerce cities into contributing public funds toward the building of new stadiums. Numerous reports indicate that it's a bad deal for cities with little to no positive economic impact, writes Neal DeMause.

August 21, 2011 - The Nation

Stalled Projects Don't Stop Las Vegas Redevelopment

Despite a raft of major projects that have stalled, smaller-scale projects are moving ahead in Las Vegas.

August 19, 2011 - Las Vegas Sun

NYC Jumps on the Gravy (or, uh, Tomato) Train

Mayor Michael Bloomberg ramps up efforts to support NYC's growing urban food cluster via set up new legislation, signed yesterday.

August 19, 2011 - Initiative for a Competitive Inner City

Vision Lacking in Downtown L.A. Stadium Plan

Plans for a downtown football stadium in Los Angeles are seeming ever more likely to pan out. The project present an opportunity for the city to develop a major center, but shortsightedness could keep it from becoming an exciting part of the city.

August 19, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Place Overpowers Bunkers in Cleveland's Post-9/11 Projects

A decade after terrorist attacks looked to usher in an age of security-heavy architecture, new projects in cities are eschewing the security bunker for eyes and feet on the street.

August 19, 2011 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Burning Man Does Good At Home

Burning Man -- the annual arts festival and self-reliance experiment -- is more than a party in the desert. Its organizers are starting a new effort to revitalize the neighborhood around their San Francisco office.

August 19, 2011 - Fast Company

Livability Grows in China's Emerging Megacities

A new breed of developers in China are increasingly trying to make the country's new cities into pleasant, walkable and even environmentally sustainable.

August 18, 2011 - Grist

Condemnation and Cohesion in the Slums of Manila

The slums are either a socially cohesive neighborhoods or a major problem -- depending on who you are. This exploration into the slums of Manila show the disconnect between the people and the government about the slums and their future.

August 18, 2011 - New Statesman

Tenderloin National Forest

An unconventional outdoor spaces has helped transform a small part of a problem-riddled San Francisco neighborhood.

August 18, 2011 - Next American City

Wealth Concentrates in Neighborhood Full of Government Contractors

Government contracts are filling the pockets of contractors in the Washington D.C. area and helping to create some of the nation's wealthiest neighborhoods.

August 17, 2011 - The Washington Post

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.