Community / Economic Development
Commercial Vacancies Hit Tax Rolls Hard
As commercial vacancies increase, cities are feeling the pain of lower tax revenues.
1 in 13 Houses in Cleveland Vacant
With roughly 10,000 foreclosures in the last two years, Cleveland has been hit hard by the economic crisis.
Global Recession, But Berlin's Got Nowhere to Fall
The economic recession is hard to notice in Berlin. The German capital has struggled economically for years and continues to.
Can Obama's Budget Prevent Another Great Depression?
With housing values and sales continuing to plummet along with other major economic indicators, the concern should be about preventing a second great depression, not paying down the deficit, writes Dean Baker.
Malls Reborn as 'Lifestyle Centers'
American shopping malls may be dying or already dead, but they are being reincarnated as mixed-use "lifestyle centers".
Costs and Benefits of Green Jobs
The stimulus package promises to create new green jobs, but are they really the economic solution they're cracked up to be? This piece from Slate questions the common perception.
Serendipity for Downtown L.A.?
At a recent event in Los Angeles, Cecilia Estolano, CEO of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, presented her vision for the Downtown of the future in one of the country's most notoriously diffuse urban centers.
Auto Town on Path to Takeover by State
The state of Michigan is getting ready to institute an emergency manager to effectively take over the financial operations of the auto industry city of Pontiac, which has struggled economically for more than a decade.
Struggling Auto Town Revived By New Industry
The former GM auto industry town of Anderson, Indiana, which struggled as factories closed, is experiencing rebirth as a new industry plans to move in.
Builders Split Over Ban
Homebuilders may oppose a building moratorium at a time like this, but Pennsylvania Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton) has not let up on his efforts to enact one to give communities a break from development and to discourage sprawl.
Unsustainable Humanity
Bill Rees, creator of the ecological footprint concept, warns that economic growth needs to slow down greatly if we want to maintain a civilized life on Earth.
Fake Windows = Fake Urbanism
Urban designer Susan Braun points the finger at pharmacies and other suburban retailers who intentionally break the connection with the street by blocking up their windows.
Bay Area Continues To Grow - At Fringes
In a report detailing three decades of growth in the SF Bay Area, an urban think tank details how commercial growth has been disproportionately in the non-transit accessible suburban office parks. However, SF shares the blame. Solutions are offered.
Recovery or Rerun?
A new government-sponsored watchdog website will allow citizens to track stimulus-funded projects. It's an effort to insure accountability. Neal Pierce wonders if that accountability will translate into smarter patterns of development.
L.A. Football Stadium Unanimously Approved
The Los Angeles suburb of Industry has approved plans to build a stadium in the city in hopes of luring a football team back to the L.A. area.
Mall Struggling, New Look Not Enough
Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre, PA is fighting to stay relevant to shoppers by bringing in local retailers, updating the design with an $8 million makeover, and bringing in more restaurants and theaters.
Cape Town CBD Flourishing
Major office and retail projects are adding new life to Cape Town's central business district. Though much investment centers around South Africa's 2010 World Cup, many expect the CBD investments to continue for years.
Poverty and Development: Two Birds, Possibly One Stone
Some organizations believe they hold the key to fighting poverty--economic development in the inner cities, which will in turn bring in private investment. But others maintain that both are hard to come by simultaneously.
A Better Transit-Oriented Design
Kent Kammerer asserts that by jumping too quickly on a TOD bandwagon that stresses density, local municipalities may leave out elements of social infrastructure and adequate services--the real driving forces behind successful, walkable areas.
In Praise of Non-Profit Developers
John King of the San Francisco Chronicle trumpets the work of Bridge Housing in increasing the availability of quality affordable housing in the Bay Area. But is it enough? New studies say affordable housing is an uphill battle.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
