Community / Economic Development

Financial Turmoil Leads to Reverse Migration in China

As more and more of China's "floating population" return from their city jobs to their farms, officials brace for backlash from the recently unemployed.

December 3, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

Clearing the Way for Mixed-Use, But Economy Puts Projects On Hold

The people of Salt Lake City have gotten behind the switch to mixed-use, and developers have been clearing away old sprawl. But the flailing economy has put projects on hold, leaving the city with a landscape full of holes.

December 3, 2008 - Utah Stories

Could Vagrants Doom A Rebounding Downtown?

The issues posed by homeless people in downtown Riverside, California, are not out of the ordinary. But they definitely do not help the city's efforts to revitalize downtown.

December 3, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

For Cities, Cutting Back May Simply Mean Streamlining

Tough economic times spell troubles for city budgets. One way to cut back on costs is to rethink operation of seemingly untouchable public safety services like police and firefighters, according to this column from Neal Peirce.

December 2, 2008 - Citiwire

New Rail Brings Opportunities and Fears to East L.A.

As rail expands into East L.A., residents are both excited about economic opportunities and worried about gentrification and the possible loss of the area's distinct Latino character.

December 2, 2008 - Los Angeles Times

Mumbai After Terrorist Attacks

As Mumbai recovers from the recent terrorist attacks, social worker Katia Savchuk reflects on how cities can be resilient to terrorism.

December 1, 2008 - Where

Cities: Use What You've Got

According to Philip Myrick, communities that will fare the best economically are the ones that think locally and employ placemaking strategies.

December 1, 2008 - Project For Public Spaces

NOLA Medical Campus to Replace Historic Buildings

A proposed New Orleans hospital will have to be built on top of an historic neighborhood that some residents feel that they have just regained. Those in favor of the project insist that the selection of that site was necessary.

December 1, 2008 - International Herald Tribune

How to Empower the World's Poor

The key to solving global poverty is possessing secure land and property tenure, according to this opinion piece. Having such security enables poor communities, even those here at home, to make demands from their governments.

November 29, 2008 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From a Zombie Economy to a New Economy

The stream of Washington bailouts is a doomed attempt to revive a 'zombie economy', argues James Howard Kunstler. He believes we need to start organizing new, local economies built around growing food, making things and transporting them by rail.

November 29, 2008 - James Kunstler's Blog

Expatriates Find Competition in Mumbai

Floods of British expatriates moving to Mumbai are finding the city practically as competitive and sometimes even more expensive than home.

November 29, 2008 - BBC

Need A Job? Try Appalachia!

Appalachia, long known as one of the poorest parts of the U.S. with chronically high unemployment, finds itself in the enviable position of enjoying remarkably low unemployment due to unwavering demand for its main natural resource – coal.

November 28, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

Holidays Bring No Savior As Retail Centers Empty

Not even the Christmas season is expected to turn things around for struggling retailers, which are dropping like leaves and littering vacancies in shopping centers across the country.

November 28, 2008 - Los Angeles Times

Urban Subcultures and Sartorial Landscapes

An annual online photo exhibit explores the fashion subcultures of different cities, which are often defined by musical tastes.

November 27, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

Experiments Validate Broken Windows Theory

The controversial theory that social and physical disorder is a cause of neighborhood crime has been successfully demonstrated with a series of six experiments.

November 27, 2008 - The Economist

New Orleans' Streetcars Make a Comeback

All of Canal Street's red streetcars were damaged by Hurricane Katrina, but up to nine restored streetcars may be in service by the end of the year.

November 26, 2008 - The Times-Picayune

Technology Brings Remote Town a Little Closer

Ten Sleep, Wyoming is home to a booming new company that teaches English online to students in Korea. The town of 350 people is a testament to how the reaches of broadband connectivity allows high-tech business to flourish even in remote areas.

November 26, 2008 - Forbes

The Cautionary Tale of Vallejo

Vallejo, CA declared bankruptcy last spring, felled by fiscal mismanagement and falling property taxes. Cities around the country are looking to Vallejo's example as they teeter near the edge.

November 26, 2008 - Governing Magazine

Community-Based Progress in Post-Katrina New Orleans

The grieving period has ended, and now resilient New Orleaneans are taking it upon themselves to rebuild their beloved city. Though it's sure to be a slow process, this could very well be community organization at its best.

November 26, 2008 - Roberta Brandes Gratz

A Shrinking City is Not a Failed City

Once New Orleans comes to terms with the fact that it is a shrinking city, the city's culture and geographic location can help bring it back.

November 25, 2008 - The Times-Picayune

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.