Community / Economic Development
New Downtown Master Plan for Danville, California
The city of Danville, located along the Easy Bay Area’s I-680 corridor, last week approved a new master plan for its downtown, with funding for implementation made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.
‘Freeways Without Futures’ Spotlights Freeway Removal Efforts
Around the country, cities and states are starting to listen to decades-old demands to remove freeways that have displaced and fractured communities.
Where Are American Rescue Plan Funds Going?
Two digital tools track local spending of American Rescue Plan dollars.
San Francisco’s Tenderloin Makes a Compelling Case for Public Restroom Programs
San Francisco’s Pit Stop program, which provides public restroom facilities to vulnerable and unhoused residents, has helped contribute to a decline in feces-related service calls in the Tenderloin.
Chicago’s Red Line Extension Environmental Review Complete
The Red Line Extension on Chicago’s South Side could be a game changer, if the city can figure out the local funding.
Biden Administration Awards $1 Billion for ‘Build Back Better Regional Challenge’
The “Build Back Better Regional Challenge” will award $1 billion in grant funding from the American Rescue Plan to projects spanning 24 states.
San Francisco’s Big Redevelopment Plan Was Paused for Equity Analysis That Never Happened
Checking in with The Hub, a proposed rezoning that would enable a multi-parcel redevelopment at a conspicuous intersection, two years after the city paused the rezoning for additional analysis (spoiler alert: the analysis hasn’t even started).
Unmasking the Property Owners
There’s a reason land ownership is a matter of public record—but at the moment the records we have aren’t actually doing the job.
When Landlords Hide Behind LLCs
It’s difficult to know who owns property because corporate landlords and investors tend to structure their business as limited liability companies, or LLCs.
Closing the Homeownership Knowledge Gap
An Oakland program geared at Black homeowners wants to empower households to understand the opportunities in building and renting accessory dwelling units.
Americans Have Fallen in Love With Outdoor Dining
Started as a response to pandemic restrictions, al fresco dining has taken off as customers, restaurant owners, and city officials realize the social and economic benefits of outdoor dining spaces.
Cincinnati Ends Parking Requirements in the City’s West End
The West End neighborhood of Cincinnati is home to 6,000 residents but only one dine-in restaurant.
Opinion: To Boost Economic Development, Build Housing
Rather than providing incentives to lure employers to their cities, local leaders should focus on supporting enough affordable workforce housing to accommodate new and existing residents.
Efficiency Retrofits Get Expanded Tax Credits Under Inflation Reduction Act
The doubled incentive could be a ‘tipping point’ for innovative construction materials that were too expensive for most projects.
Remote Work Is Here To Stay
Based on available data, working from home is likely to remain a popular option with a high percentage of workers, changing the ways and places Americans live, work, and travel.
National Redevelopment Role Model: Alpharetta, Georgia
Cities around the country have taken notice of the big redevelopment programs in the city of Alpharetta.
The Big Divide Between Big and Little Oil on the New Climate-Energy Law
President Joe Biden signed what he called “one of the most significant laws in our history” last Tuesday. The energy provisions in the law that benefit oil and gas extraction exposed different perspectives within the industry on the law.
Denver Food Truck Ban Could be Unconstitutional
In a letter to city officials, a law firm called on the city to lift restrictions on food trucks, saying the ban “smacks of protectionism” and could violate equal protection guarantees.
Boston Will Urge Developers to Provide Diversity Disclosures
Stopping short of a mandate, the city plans to request that developers provide information about diversity and inclusion on their teams.
Analysis of Downtown Recoveries Reveals Post-Pandemic Winners and Losers
The recovery of U.S. downtowns is happening at widely different paces depending on which city you consider.
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
