Community / Economic Development

The Story Behind Suburban Poverty

Next American City talks with the Brookings Institution's Elizabeth Kneebone about the growth of poverty in suburban areas.

April 21, 2010 - Next American City

Running Cities Like A Business

Former Albuquerque Mayor Martin J. Chavez writes that the great success of Mayor Bloomberg's PlanNYC is due in large part to a process that borrowed key principles from the business world.

April 20, 2010 - Environmental Leader

Will Shanghai Benefit from the World Expo in the Long-Term?

As Shanghai prepares to host the World Expo beginning next month, the aftertaste of over-investment in Beijing's 2008 Summer Olympics and that event's now-empty venues is causing some to question the wisdom of the Expo and its long-term impact.

April 20, 2010 - The Washington Post

Market Crash Leaves L.A. Flush With High-Priced Plots

Bought at the height of the real estate market and intended for conversion into high-priced luxury apartment buildings, empty plots of land are littered throughout Los Angeles, undeveloped and quietly back on the market at greatly reduced prices.

April 20, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Public Space Creation in Three Midwestern Cities

This piece from The Architect's Newspaper takes a look at three midwestern cities that have recently benefited from outside investments in their urban centers.

April 20, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

The Suburb That Never Was

California City, California was designed to be the state's next great metropolis. But today it's hardly more than a dream. Geoff Manaugh reports on this modern-day ghost town.

April 19, 2010 - GOOD Magazine

Rethinking Rural Development

Silos and smokestacks are the way of the past for rural area development, according to economist Mark Drabenstott who offers a new idea for bringing economic activity to rural places.

April 19, 2010 - The Daily Yonder

Communicating Codes Through Song

When working a charrette in Jamaica, architect Steve Mouzon inadvertently inspired local children to set a recommendation for urban farming to song.

April 17, 2010 - The Original Green Blog

Immigrants Play Key Role In Economic Vitality Of Metro Areas

While a new analysis of census data revealed the importance of immigrants to regions and refuted commonly held beliefs, it revealed a clear preference for high-skilled immigrants which in turn is influencing federal legislation.

April 17, 2010 - The New York Times - U.S.

The Perfect Neighborhood

What makes a model neighborhood? GOOD Magazine devotes an issue to the topic, beginning with a list of traits that make a neighborhood great.

April 16, 2010 - GOOD Magazine

Underground Business District

The Atlantic guides a tour through the underground business zone of SubTropolis, a 5-million-square-foot complex 100 feet below Kansas City, Missouri.

April 15, 2010 - The Atlantic

New Twist on Eminent Domain

Boston uses the threat of eminent domain to force a developer to build on a site that's become an eyesore.

April 14, 2010 - Wall Street Journal

Productivity Through Density

People naturally want to be near each other, which some suggest is one explanation for the increasing urbanization and densification of the world. Edward L. Glaeser argues that the information-based economy will push that trend even further.

April 14, 2010 - The New York Times

Salt Lake Suburb Pins Hopes On Downtown Revival

South Salt Lake is seeking to revive itself economically by creating a downtown entertainment district connected by a streetcar.

April 14, 2010 - The Salt-Lake Tribune

Binghamton's "War Counter" to Highlight City's Budget Woes

Jo Comerford of the National Priorities Project reports on how one New York state mayor is addressing the interconnections between municipal budget shortfalls and federal spending on warfare.

April 13, 2010 - TomDispatch

New York City Takes Over Governor's Island

The City has reached a deal to take over 172-acres of undeveloped land from the State, and redevelopment possibilities are flooding in - public park, high school, commercial buildings, NYU satellite campus, and more.

April 12, 2010 - New York Times

Solution for Shrinking Cities: Art and Parks

After unification, many East German towns began losing jobs and population. In 2003, the government formed a group to study how these cities could best recover. The results are in.

April 12, 2010 - Speigel International

Cities, States Slashing Public Library Funding

States and cities across the U.S. are cutting public library funding at a time when people are relying on them more than ever, writes Art Brodsky.

April 12, 2010 - Huffington Post

Killing the Authenticity You Love

The search for authenticity lead Generation Xers to move into gritty, urban environments that their overwhelming numbers managed to kill, says Adam Mayer in a review of Sharon Zukin's book Naked City.

April 12, 2010 - New Geography

Embracing Baltimore's Existing Arts Districts, Not Creating New Ones

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake wants to turn the city's west side into an arts district. This article from The Baltimore Sun argues that the city already has enough arts districts and should focus efforts on those.

April 11, 2010 - The Baltimore Sun

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.