Community / Economic Development
When Going Gets Tough, Struggling Small Towns Get Creative
Across America, small towns are struggling to get by economically as many residents move out and businesses follow. But some small towns are employing some creative ideas -- from giant killer bee statues to storytelling festivals -- to stay afloat.
Ohio Tax-Sharing Program Looks To Boost Regional Economy
Representatives from seven Northeast Ohio counties are looking to form a regional partnership that would include tax-sharing, comprehensive regional planning and an equitable distribution of service and affordable housing.
A Sharp Population Decline Predicted For Japan
A new report has been released in Japan that projects a sharp drop in the country's population over the next 50 years. The report predicts that a declining birth rate will cause a decrease of more than 30% by 2055.
Smart Growth Success In Metro D.C.
Arlington, Virginia, and Silver Spring, Maryland, are two cities in the rapidly growing Washington D.C. metro area that are bucking the trend of handling growth by sprawl and moving towards Smart Growth policies.
Lowering the Bottom Line
From city, neighborhood, block to building-scales, Stephen Mouzon offers ideas to offset high housing costs and economic segregation.
Codes and Plans The Key To New Urbanism
Robert Steuteville comments on the progress The New Urbanism has made in implementing form-based codes and regional plans.
The Demise Of Miami's Public Housing Czar
Rene Rodriguez, the once highly lauded director of the Miami-Dade Housing Agency, stands accused of taking from the poor to serve developer interests, as well as his own.
The Modern Streetcar 'Hoax'?
Plans for modern streetcars are becoming more popular across the U.S. as one component of a revitalization plan. Randal O'Toole argues that the connection between streetcars and economic development is a hoax.
Austin, Texas OKs Stricter Guidelines For Big-Box Retail
New rules approved by the Austin City Council require that neighbors be notified of proposed big-box development and that a public hearing be held for the project.
Leasing Retail Space In Transit-Oriented Developments
Fruitvale Village in Oakland, California, provides a valuable case study for designing and leasing retail space in transit-oriented development projects.
Measuring Detroit's Vital Signs
Model D uses the new CEO's For Cities report to analyze Detroit's strengths (more than you might think) and its weaknesses.
Discussing Tourism, Planning And Sustainability
Michael Romanos, a distinguished professor of planning and economic development at the University of Cincinnati, sits down to talk about this experience working with cities and cultures around the world -- and in his own backyard.
Paris Says No More Clothing Stores On Champs Elysées
The city's commercial planning committee rejected an application from Swedish retailer H&M, saying the famous boulevard -- already home to major clothing retailers -- needs less shops and more cinemas, restaurants and cafes.
Friday Funny: Carolers Take On Gentrification
A group in Boston's Chinatown has written their own lyrics to some classic Christmas songs to protest the neighborhood's rapid gentrification.
Boutique Cities Aren't The Problem
Responding to Joel Kotkin's critique of cities who woo "creative class" over the middle class, Jerold Kayden, director of urban planning at Harvard Graduate School of Design, argues that revitalizing cities isn't as simple as copying sunbelt cities.
Milwaukee Launches Innovative Economic Development Website
The new site, the latest in a growing number of online tools used to cultivate investment, allows companies to research demographics, find vacant parcels, and identify business assistance programs.
Bringing The 'Community' Into The Community Benefits Agreement Process
In a test case that could serve as an organizing model for other communities, the non-profit West Harlem Local Development Corporation has been created specifically to negotiate with Columbia University as it plans a major campus expansion.
A&P, Wal-Mart, And The American Consumer Identity
Sixty years ago, chains like A&P and Woolworth transformed American citizens into consumers. Shedding this consumer identity is key to turning back the big-box tide, says Stacy Mitchell, the author of a recent book on mega-retailers.
Taking Back Farmland In Brazil
As poverty increases in Brazil and small farmers are pushed off of their lands into the overcrowded city's and ghettos, some groups are doing whatever it takes to re-distribute farmland to the poor.
Best Ideas Of 2006 Features Innovations In Planning
Urban design, housing for homeless people, and planning for decreased population are highlighted in the New York Times Magazine's annual survey of innovative ideas.
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
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
