Community / Economic Development

A new book suggests that airports can be the driving factor that creates vibrant global cities in the future. This review from Metropolis holds some doubts.

February 17, 2011 - Metropolis

An Australian report finds that suburbs in Australia may be on the path to slum status if the country's oil addiction is not resisted.

February 16, 2011 - Treehugger

Innovation Districts are helping metropolitan areas around the country lead the way toward economic recovery.

February 16, 2011 - The Huffington Post

The Atlanta BeltLine brings much promise to the city of Atlanta, but will elevated housing costs be an unwelcome addition? Atlanta is looking to a community land trust to preserve affordability for the long-term near this new asset.

February 15, 2011 - Shelterforce Magazine

The Globe & Mail takes an in-depth look at Prime Minister David Cameron's "Big Society" agenda, which will devolve power to local communities and see an "army" of volunteers responsible for such things as running schools and maintaining parks.

February 15, 2011 - The Globe and Mail

Urban-boosters in Cleveland and other Rust Belt locales are fierce defenders of their much-maligned cities. But does civic boosterism gloss over the region's very real problems? Worse, does it serve to protect the dysfunctional status quo?

February 15, 2011 - Rust Wire

The Tyee presents a conversation between two Vancouver urban thinkers about the city's downtown and how some efforts to improve the city's core have worked while others have fallen short.

February 15, 2011 - The Tyee

One way to help build an expensive new extension of L.A's subway system is to accept corporate sponsorships, argues Joel Epstein in this op-ed.

February 15, 2011 - Los Angeles Business Journal

The Planning Institute of Australia released a report that predicts a grim future for Australia's suburbs, unless the government moves to radically overhaul its transport and urban policies.

February 15, 2011 - The Sydney Morning Herald

Areas once thought to be virtually immune to the downturn in the housing market are starting to see signs of decline.

February 14, 2011 - The New York Times

Communities in the slums of India are well known for "making do". A new exhibit looks at how that spirit of innovation and adaptation plays out in these cities and how other cities can learn from them.

February 14, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

What, as a society, do we share? Natural resources? Internet access? Public space? Jay Walljasper and the nonprofit On the Commons cross political boundaries to advocate for the common good and all that we share.

February 14, 2011 - Tim Halbur

Struggling cities in the Rust Belt are actually luring a new surge of younger populations, according to this piece from Governing.

February 12, 2011 - Governing

Grist's Sarah Goodyear takes a look at a Superbowl TV commercial's focus on Detroit, and how selling a city can either work or fail.

February 12, 2011 - Grist

Transit ridership boomed during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but the numbers have since fallen.

February 12, 2011 - CBC

The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust's mission is to bring parks and gardens to underserved communities in Los Angeles, where problems of obesity are bad enough that the city recently banned new fast food operations.

February 12, 2011 - The Planning Report

Developers in Las Vegas have announced a proposal for a three-stadium complex in the city intended to lure professional basketball, hockey, football and baseball teams.

February 11, 2011 - The Las Vegas Sun

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people have taken over the Grande Hotel in Beira, Mozambique, and turned it into a small community of squatters.

February 11, 2011 - CNN

With millions of people, Los Angeles -- like many big cities -- can be a rude place. And though it makes sense that the city can be impolite, it doesn't have to be, argues Amy Alkon in this op-ed.

February 11, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Athens, Greece has all the elements of good urbanism - density, diversity, destinations, distance (to transit) and design. So is Athens a poster child for good urbanism? Fanis Grammenos takes an in-depth look.

February 10, 2011 - Fanis Grammenos