Community / Economic Development
Comparing Downtown Recovery Across U.S. Cities
The Downtown Vitality Index measures how central cities are adjusting to post-pandemic conditions.
$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.
The Pseudoscientific Foundations of Racist Planning Practices
Racist and colonialist narratives in old geography textbooks help explain the prevalence of segregationist and discriminatory policies and other nasty planning practices. It’s time to understand and reconcile.
Proposed Pool Would Make an Olympic-Sized Play Area in the San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay is usually an undesirable place to swim, except for a hearty few. A development proposal seeking assistance at the state level would add a pool to the Bay’s waters to make the idea of going for a swim more appealing.
Planners Look to ‘Activity Centers’ for Sustainable Development
Existing hubs of ‘hyperlocal’ economic activity provide a model for urban density.
Long Beach Residents Oppose Proposed Homeless Services Hub Near Rail Terminus
L.A. Metro’s “end-of-the-line” policy forces people experiencing homeless off transit every night at the same time and location. A proposed hub would provide services a few stops before the end of the line in Long Beach.
Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.
Pandemic-Era Economic Growth in Metropolitan Areas
The world has gone through three turbulent years of Covid-19. The Brookings Institution continues its analysis of inclusive economic growth in 192 metropolitan areas in the U.S. during this period with the publication of Metro Monitor 2023.
A DIY Approach to Developing Creative Arts Districts
Communities in Colorado are using a do-it-yourself process known as “Call Yourself Creative” to establish new neighborhoods that leverage the arts for community and economic development goals.
Election 2024: Red vs. Blue States
In a speech on Sunday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, likely Republican presidential contender Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said that the pandemic was “a great test in governing philosophies."
Decatur Reveals Proposed Downtown Master Plan Updates
The city wants to boost economic development in its historic core, improve transit and connectivity, and encourage more housing near its MARTA rail station.
Low Pay, High Housing Costs: Not a Good Equation for Teachers
The rising cost of housing, along with the pandemic, has transformed the lack of housing affordable to teachers in expensive parts of California from bad to worse. Solutions so far only address half the problem or don’t go far enough.
Construction Halted on Amazon’s HQ2
The company is pausing construction on its much-anticipated second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
Austin Scores Highest on Pandemic Recovery; Bay Area and Baltimore Lowest
The Bay Area Council and CBRE created an economic tracker to measure how well the nation's 25 largest metropolitan areas have recovered from the public health restrictions imposed on their regions at the onset of the pandemic.
The Slow Retreat of Pandemic-Era Outdoor Dining Programs Continues
It’s been almost three years since the political dynamics of outdoor dining in the United States shifted, suddenly and overwhelmingly. Increasingly, the status quo is being restored.
A Chatbot Talks Regeneration and Recovery for Seattle
In his recent analysis of trends to watch for 2023, Managing Editor James Brasuell noted how ChatGPT might replace all the writers of Planetizen, and more. Chuck Wolfe decided to take literally Brasuell's “don't let it sneak up on you” admonition.
Orange County Developers Eye Dying Malls for Housing, Mixed-Use
As indoor malls lose their luster, their properties offer convenient amenities and infrastructure perfectly suited for redevelopment into housing, parks, and retail.
Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities
The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.
Milwaukee Sets Sights on a Million Residents
Zoning reform will be key to the Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s vision to almost double the city’s population.
Federal Union: Remote Work Is Climate-Friendly
Federal workers are pushing back on a return to the office, citing the environmental benefits of eliminating daily commuting.
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
