Community / Economic Development

Caracas, The City that Built Itself

Utopian modernism turned on its head in Caracas, where residents have made fifty-year-old superblock housing projects into the locus of sprawling improvised settlements.

May 14, 2009 - Triple Canopy

New Suburb Plans Dropped Amid Market Downturn

Due to the downturn in the housing market, plans for a new development that would essentially become a 20,000-person suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area have been abandoned.

May 14, 2009 - San Jose Mercury News

Big Box Exit Spells Trouble for Local Economy

In Dublin, CA, the failure of a slew of big box retailers has created retail deadzones, dragging down local businesses and economies.

May 13, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Can Charlotte Overtake Atlanta as Powerhouse of the South?

Atlanta is seen by many as the economic powerhouse of the South. But some say Charlotte's progress in providing transit and reducing traffic may begin to tip the scales.

May 13, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Vacant Storefronts Sell Space for Ads

Crushed by the falling economy, failing retail spaces are renting their storefronts to make a some extra cash.

May 12, 2009 - The New York Times

Stimulus Trickles Down For CDBGs

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has set aside $980 million for Community Development Block Grants, which will be split among 1,200 governments.

May 12, 2009 - Architectural Record

Working Families Charged Rent to Live in New York Shelters

Families who have income will now be charged a small rent to stay in public housing shelters in New York City, part of a 1997 state law that had up until now gone unenforced.

May 12, 2009 - The New York Times

Small Towns Work to Keep Young Population

Towns in East Texas have watched their children graduate high school and leave town for generations- in some towns, up to 90% of graduates flee. Job development is key to keeping the kids down on the farm, but older locals balk at growth.

May 11, 2009 - Longview News Journal

Reviving the Rust Belt

Smart City talks with grass roots and civic leaders about how to revitalize flagging Rust Belt economies.

May 9, 2009 - Smart City Radio

Car Factory Revives Georgia City

West Point, Georgia began to decline when the textile industry moved out. Now, it's experiencing a renaissance as a new car factory moves into town, bringing 20,000 jobs by 2014.

May 8, 2009 - BBC

Dubai's Migrant Construction Workers Bear Brunt of Downturn

The economic downturn is hurting Dubai, as glitzy skyscraper projects come to a halt. But the biggest pain is being felt among the hundreds of thousands of migrant construction workers who came to the city seeking their fortunes.

May 7, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

Recession Fuels 'Neighboring'

Community participation is on the rise, and many sociologists think it's related to the recession.

May 6, 2009 - The Seattle Times

Property Prices Drop 41% in Dubai

The recession digs into Dubai, where property prices fell 41% in the first three months of 2009.

May 6, 2009 - BBC

Japan's Stimulus Package Lowers Highway Tolls To Stimulate Travel

Japan's four major highway operators will drastically lower their tolls, thanks to a generous government economic stimulus package aimed to encourage motoring during the major holidays. The operators are preparing for the enormous traffic jams.

May 5, 2009 - Bloomberg.com

Cities Search for Neighborhood Stabilization Tools

Cities struck by the foreclosure crisis are implementing a number of measures to help prevent foreclosures and stabilize neighborhoods already racked by vacancies.

May 5, 2009 - The Planning Report

The Battle Over Growth in Portland

A documentary focusing on Portland's urban growth boundary begins airing this month on public television stations across the country. It includes interviews with proponents on all sides of the smart growth issue.

May 5, 2009 - PR Web

U.S. Cities Fare Poorly in World Livability Ranking

In terms of global urban livability, American cities are not so hot. The highest ranking city, Honolulu, comes in at 29 in the results of the Worldwide Quality of Living Survey.

May 5, 2009 - The Independent

Breaking Silos in the City

May 4, 2009 - Nate Berg

DOT and HUD, Together Again

DOT and HUD announce a joint effort to merge land use and planning to improve livability. CNU's John Norquist comments on the merger.

May 2, 2009 - New Urban News

Pittsburgh Mayor Announces Riverfront Revamping

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced that the city will work to redevelop a 6.2 stretch of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, selling large tracts of city-owned land to developers.

May 1, 2009 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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.