Community / Economic Development
Opinion: As Prison Populations Drop, Shuttered Facilities Offer Opportunity
The redevelopment of hundreds of former military bases in the 1980s provides a model for how similar facilities can be repurposed to serve the surrounding communities.
DC to Invest $1 Million in Public Restrooms in 2026
After residents protested the closing of six Throne restrooms, the District is creating a position to manage public bathrooms and plans to fund 10 bathrooms in the next year.
Why NYC Needs More ‘Deliverista Hubs’
The city began construction on a facility that will provide seating, shade, and e-bike charging for delivery workers. Its 80,000 ‘deliveristas’ could use many more.
Revitalizing LA’s Historic General Hospital
Los Angeles County is transforming its historic General Hospital into a mixed-use community with housing, healthcare, and green space — an ambitious project aimed at revitalizing underserved neighborhoods while preserving a cultural landmark.
Hawaii’s Tsunami Scare Reveals Evacuation Shortfalls
A tsunami alarm revealed serious flaws in Oahu’s evacuation planning, prompting calls for urgent improvements in emergency infrastructure, coordination, and public safety.
Delivering on the Promise of Parks
In LA County, even amid budget challenges, new parks are opening, targeted investments are being made in underserved communities, and long-term plans are guiding progress — demonstrating a sustained commitment to parks as essential infrastructure.
LA is Home to a Growing Native Hawaiian Diaspora
Los Angeles has become a cultural stronghold for Native Hawaiians on the mainland, offering a sense of community, continuity, and connection for those living far from the Islands.
The Osage Nation’s Effort to Clean Up Abandoned Oil Wells
The Osage Nation is leading a complex and long-term initiative to identify, plug, and remediate thousands of orphaned oil wells on its reservation, protecting land, water, and community health for future generations.
A Vision for the Future: LA County Releases Draft Sustainability Plan
Los Angeles County has released the draft 2025 OurCounty Sustainability Plan — shaped by community input — and is inviting public feedback through August 22 to help guide the County’s path toward a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.
Honoring Elders: California Tribe Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing
The Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians is launching its first senior housing project in Los Angeles County, creating 26 affordable units to serve Native elders and address longstanding housing inequities.
Half of Rural Texas Hospitals Could Close
Texas has lost 25 rural hospitals in the last two decades, more than any other state.
Nature Starts Here: The Essential Role of Nature Centers and Outdoor Programs
Nature centers and outdoor programs serve as vital gateways to environmental education, equity, and stewardship — bringing people closer to nature and inspiring the next generation to care for the planet.
A Historic Investment in LA County’s Parks and Open Spaces
Los Angeles County has launched its largest-ever competitive grant program, investing $58 million to expand park access, enhance climate resilience, and support community-driven projects in the areas that need them most.
Planting for Change: How Trees Are Powering Climate Action
"Combating Climate Change with Trees" highlights how Southern California communities are strategically planting and nurturing urban forests to cool neighborhoods, improve air quality, and advance environmental justice.
Could Planners Adopt a 'Place Sherpa' Role?
Building upon the framework of a local housing panel, Chuck Wolfe suggests that advocacy and policy discussions would be enhanced by a “sherpa mindset” that focuses on lived experiences, facilitates applied knowledge of urban places, and promotes stakeholder discussion.
Art in the Shade: Confronting Climate and Equity Through Creativity
Through powerful, multisensory installations, Roots of Cool uses art to illuminate Los Angeles’ climate and shade inequities, inviting visitors to imagine a more just, tree-filled future.
The Growing Challenge of Orphan Oil Wells in America
Orphan oil wells—abandoned, undocumented, and often leaking methane—pose a widespread environmental and climate threat across the U.S., and finding them is just the beginning of a costly and urgent cleanup effort.
In Praise of Analog Cities: Futureproofing in a Time of Crisis
I didn’t need a pandemic or a war to teach me that smart cities weren’t the future — but it sure drove the message home.
The Mobility-Productivity Paradox
New research shows that excessive vehicle travel reduces economic productivity, and that less mobility provides more productivity. Yes, you read that right.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
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
