Community / Economic Development
Property Tax Revenue Downturn Hurting Cities
The economic recession is lightening up in some areas, but cities and municipalities will continue to struggle with the downturn in the economy for years, mainly because of falling property tax revenues.
Vancouver Tests Out Street Vending
Vancouver's streets are buzzing with a new wave of street food vendors, part of a pilot program to expand formalized informal commerce downtown.
Brownfield Approved For Huge, Controversial Mixed-Use Redevelopment
By an 8-3 vote at 1:35 AM, July 14, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a plan to add 10,500 homes (32% affordable) on a 720-acre brownfield site known as Hunters Point, a former shipyard, including 320 acres of parkland and open space.
Detroit on the Border
Detroit is a city of borders: international borders, borders between cities and not-cities, and borders between the success of the past and the uncertain future, writes Jerry Herron in this essay for Places.
Fairtrade Towns on the Rise
10 years after a town in England declared itself a "fairtrade" town, the ethical trading movement has grown to 500 towns across the world.
City vs. Suburbs: A False Debate
Christopher Leinberger, author of The Option of Urbanism, takes on Joel Kotkin's latest dustup on the "war between the city and the suburbs." Leinberger argues that the data Kotkin's using is dated and doesn't reflect reality.
Students Say Monorail Would Fix Racial Divide
A teacher in Baton Rouge, LA asked her creative writing class how they would solve the racial division in their city. The class came up with a monorail. "If the bus runs through your neighborhood, you know you're in the hood," explains one student.
Driving Business with High Speed Rail
A recent report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors shows that high speed rail can be a driver of business opportunities. National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts if they think those findings are correct.
The Importance of Kiosks and Carts
This piece from Re:Place looks at the urban impact of kiosks and food carts.
Mixed Use Outperforms Big Box Development
Tax revenue-per-acre figures for big box developments are only slightly higher than residential developments, and not as high as mixed use project, according to this column from Mary Newsom.
Small Cities Fill CNN's 'Best Places to Live'
Apparently metropolises are out- CNN Money's annual list of the "Best Places to Live" is filled with small cities like Eden Prairie, Minnesota and Overland Park, Kansas.
Joseph Stalin Out, Michael Jackson In?
Michael Jackson fans in Prague want to build a statue commemorating the musician in the same park that once housed the world's biggest bust of Joseph Stalin. Some locals aren't happy about the plan.
As World Cup Ends, Olympic Dreams Spark in South Africa
Officials in South Africa say the country's successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup positions it to be a viable host for the Olympics.
New Development: Always a Good Sign?
Dan Rodricks has been reading a lot of "good news" about new residential building permits being taken out around Baltimore, and questions whether new development is always a good sign.
Walkability Makes You Healthier and Wealthier
Conrad deFiebre sums up the benefits of living in a walkable neighborhood, from improved health to improved wealth, both via higher property values and less of hard-earned dollars paid out to oil and car companies.
Obama Announces New Urban Policy to Shelter 1.6 Million Homeless
A total of 1.6 million people experienced homelessness last year alone. President Obama has decided to attempt to remedy this sobering fact with the new Interagency Council on Homelessness' (USICH) "Opening Doors" plan.
Can an Operating System be Developed to Run a City?
Melissa Lafsky asks if citizen initiative facilities like '311' and 'fixmystreet' should be expanded into an "operating system" for cities.
Main Streets Revitalized
The Project for Public Spaces has begun to publicize improvements it has made to main streets across the country with a new web feature, reports Kaid Benfield.
'Garden Blocks' to Feed Urbanity
The relationship between agriculture and cities is becoming increasingly important. Daniel Nairn suggests building "garden blocks" within cities to meet community food needs.
Ciclovia Goes to Oakland for 'Oaklavia'
Oakland, California recently closed off two miles of city street to cars, creating a Bogota-inspired ciclovia, dubbed 'Oaklavia'.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
