Community / Economic Development
The Most and Least Affordable Places for Homebuyers
This article looks at the five metro areas with the most affordable housing options, and the five with the least affordable options.
'Unexpectedly Green' Slums
This article from The Prospect looks at slums and squatter cities. Author Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, calls them "unexpectedly green".
The Death and Gentrification of Great American Cities
Sharon Zukin's new book takes a different look at the urbanity championed in Jane Jacobs' seminal book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", arguing that gentrification is tearing up the authenticity of places.
The Migratory Patterns of Americans are Changing
The American Enterprise Institute looks closely at how migration patterns have changed state-by-state through the last couple of years of recession.
Chapter 9 Cities on the Rise
The economic recession is pushing many municipalities towards declaring bankruptcy.
Infamous Watts Public Housing, Reimagined
The Jordan Downs public housing complex in Watts, California is a perfect example of the failed projects of built mid-century. A new proposal would tear down the towers in favor of a mix of building styles connecting to the surrounding area.
Google and the Company Town
Google and the city of Mountain View, California have a unique relationship. The city is home to the search giant's headquarters, but the company is much more than a quiet tenant, according to this article.
Shanghai Dreams
This profile from National Geographic takes an inside look at the growing and rapidly changing city of Shanghai.
Atlanta Keeps Streetcar Hopes Alive
Officials in Atlanta are pushing forward with plans to build a streetcar, despite being left out of a recent federal stimulus-led package of transportation grants.
Speedy and Successful Downtown Resurgence in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa, is undergoing a rapid and thorough urban revival -- at least when compared to other cities. By Des Moines standards, the city's pace is par for the course.
The Science of Resiliency in Cities
Resilience science has typically been applied to ecosystems. But now, scientists are starting to look at how it relates to cities.
The Recession's Impact on American Cities
Next American City kicks off their new podcast by interviewing the Brookings Institution's Alan Berube about how the economic recession is playing out in American cities and metropolitan areas.
Innovations in Healthy Retail Pay Off
Five speakers detail how programs to beautify streetscapes, improve neighborhood retail climates and bring fresh food to urban stores paid off for store owners and community residents alike.
Turning an Ethnic Enclave Into An Asset
Lowell, Mass. has one of the largest populations of Cambodian immigrants in the country. City officials want to create a "Little Cambodia" neighborhood to capitalize on that strength without exploiting it.
Qatar Learning Lessons From Dubai's Crash
With its ambitious and extravagant plans, Dubai has fallen hard amid the economic bust. Nearby Qatar, on the other hand, is poised to weather the economic storm a little better.
Olympic Village is an 'Inspired Template'
Lisa Rouchon of The Globe and Mail says that Vancouver's Olympic Village might not be a cure-all for the city's problems, but it is a well-planned vision for the future.
Zoning Loosened to Help Home Businesses
The rough economy has made code officers negotiators between irked neighbors and entrepreneurs trying to make a living in their living rooms.
Tough Choices in Pleasantville, NY
Pleasantville, NY may be affluent and amenity-rich, but it isn't immune to the economic downturn. Now some suggest the town should sacrifice character for economic opportunity.
Vancouver's Recession Olympics
Vancouver lost its Triple A credit rating after being forced to bail out its Olympic Athletes Village when the hedge fund that had backed it went under -- just one of the unpredicted events that made this a Recession Olympics.
Detroit Mayor Warms to Downsizing
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is reportedly open to the idea of downsizing the city, and is looking for other fresh ideas to help the city's economy return to a sustainable place.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
