Community / Economic Development

Students Bring Neighborhood's Plans to Life

Students in Ohio State University's City and Regional Planning department worked closely with the Franklinton neighborhood in Columbus to create a new vision for the community.

June 1, 2008 - Columbus Alive

Keeping Public Space Public In Knoxville

Downtown Knoxville has seen many improvements in recent years. This column calls on the city to be careful how it lets private interests use downtown's new public spaces.

June 1, 2008 - Metro Pulse

Best Buy Refuses to Conform to Design Standards

Waynesville, North Carolina Mayor Gavin Brown is forced to give up on pedestrian-friendly design to save potential jobs from Best Buy.

May 31, 2008 - The Smoky Mountain News

Portland's Smart Growth Faces Cries of Gentrification

Portland, famed for its progressive policies and smart growth, is facing criticism that the same growth they are applauded for is squeezing other groups out- particularly African-Americans.

May 31, 2008 - The New York Times

Challenges Ahead for Tyson's Corner To Become Livable City

Tyson's Corner, an auto-oriented suburb of Washington, D.C., reveals ambitious plans to become a dense, urban community. Officials are bracing themselves for tough opposition from locals. The Washington Post story includes a video report.

May 29, 2008 - The Washington Post

From Superfund To Super Fun

The City of Saco, Maine is turning land the federal government once labeled a toxic Superfund site into a hub for hiking, fishing, and recreation.

May 28, 2008 - Portland Press Herald

Budapest To Encourage Cycling

Thick congestion has politicians in Budapest looking at ways to improve mobility -- mainly by encouraging bicycle use.

May 28, 2008 - AFP

Eminent Domain Used to Save Summer Camp

Representatives in North Providence, RI are attempting to save a site used for a camp for inner-city youth from developers, and may resort to using eminent domain to do so.

May 28, 2008 - www.redorbit.com

Turkey Hopes Planned Dam Generates More Than Electricity

Plans to build a massive dam in Turkey have many hopeful that its creation will revive the local economy.

May 28, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

Israel Weighs Smart Growth

The Movement for Israeli Urbanism makes the case that Israel's current planning policies are not sustainable.

May 27, 2008 - The Jerusalem Post

Foreclosures Hit Cleveland Hard

This segment from NPR looks at the city of Cleveland and examines how foreclosures have devastated the city and many of its neighborhoods.

May 27, 2008 - NPR

Green Neighborhood Plan Has Residents Riled

As Mayor Bloomberg moves forward with an eco-friendly redevelopment for the crumbling Willets Point neighborhood, locals feel pushed aside and complain that eminent domain is out of control.

May 23, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

Best U.S. City to Raise a Family: Honolulu?

Let the controversy begin -- Best Life Magazine named Honolulu #1 on its list of "The 100 Best Places to Raise a Family", while Flint, Michigan scrapes the bottom. Where does your city rank?

May 21, 2008 - Best Life Magazine

Developer To SF: Let's Make A Deal On Affordable Housing

Hoping to head off a competing ballot measure, Miami-based developer Lennar Corp. has voluntarily agreed to set aside 3,200 of the planned 10,000 homes on San Francisco's Hunters and Candlestick Point for low- and moderate-income families.

May 20, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

More Cities Face Naturally Decreasing Population

More people die than are born in Pittsburgh every year -- seriously impacting the city's schools, laborforce and healthcare infrastructure. Other American cities will soon follow, say demographers.

May 20, 2008 - The New York Times

Redevelopment Induced Sprawl

In Kansas City, many tax increment financing zones are simply luring existing business to move and creating new sprawling development.

May 18, 2008 - The Pitch

The Placemaking Power Of Artists

A recent conference focused on how planners use the transformative effect that artists bring to a community to help jump start urban revitalization.

May 16, 2008 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cities Want Banks To Pay For Blight Caused By Foreclosures

Minneapolis is one of several cities that have filed lawsuits against mortgage companies, seeking damages for the blight caused by the large number of foreclosures in some of its neighborhoods.

May 16, 2008 - USA Today

The Wildflower Wars

A dazzling wildflower season spells trouble for master-planned communities across the West.

May 16, 2008 - The Next American City

How To Justify Economic Development Subsidies

Quebec is notorious for its lavish subsidies designed to lure business. But with transparent accounting and a cost-benefit ratio of 3.74 to 1, the province's economic development agency makes sure taxpayers know what they are getting for their money.

May 14, 2008 - New Brunswick Business Journal

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.