Community / Economic Development

Coronavirus and Urbanism

Tourism-Based Urban Economies Will Have to Innovate to Survive the Pandemic

It is time to make bold, disruptive changes to Barcelona's economy, according to this article, by fueling innovation, sustainability, and policies to improve residents' quality of life.

September 15, 2020 - Cities of the Future

New York Police Department

Which Cities Are Becoming More Violent?

Some cities have become significantly more violent since the George Floyd protests began—but not all. Why have some cities been more successful than others?

September 14, 2020 - Michael Lewyn

Iowa City

Coronavirus College Clusters Stress Town and Gown Relationship

College towns that have been observing public health guidelines and seen relatively few COVID-19 cases are now seeing infections spike as young people return to take classes. The New York Times has been tracking cases in colleges and college towns.

September 14, 2020 - The New York Times

Seattle light rail

Sound Transit Centers Transit-Dependent Communities in 2021 Service Changes

With the Northgate link light rail expansion project nearing completion and the effects of the pandemic lingering, Sound Transit will change its bus routes in 2021. The transit authority focuses on equity in plotting the route changes.

September 14, 2020 - The Urbanist

New York City Subway

Formerly Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher COVID-19 Prevalence, Study Says

Add COVID-19 to the list of long-term consequences of the racist and discriminatory regulatory and lending practices of the 20th century.

September 14, 2020 - Next City

Kids

6 Ways to Ensure Equitable Cities for Children

A city that fosters the mental and physical health of children is safer for everyone. Six key planning and design considerations promote the well-being of the city's youngest residents.

September 14, 2020 - TheCityFix

Public Meeting

It's Time to Move On From Community Consensus

Public meetings often disprove the notion that communities have a unified stance on any issue. With this in mind, we must move past trying to find consensus and focus on uplifting the most marginalized voices.

September 14, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

The Calls on the River Aire

The Most Compassionate City in the U.K.

Leeds is the third biggest city in the U.K., located in the north of England. While it may not necessarily appear on tourists’ top bucket list destinations, the Leeds City Council is determined to make it the best city in the U.K.

September 14, 2020 - Cities of the Future

Chicago, Illinois

Obama Library Displacement Concerns: City Council Falls Short of Local Demands

The Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance intended to protect residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the planned Barack Obama Presidential Center.

September 13, 2020 - Chicago Sun-Times

Los Angeles, California

Why Do Low-Income Residents Oppose Development Even When Displacement Risk Is Low?

There’s more than one way to be excluded from your community.

September 10, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Tactical Urbanism

7 Grassroots Strategies Empowering Urban Communities

These grassroots strategies are helping urban neighborhoods improve the quality of life for many of their citizens.

September 10, 2020 - Devin Partida

Jackson Heights, Queens

A Tour of New York City's Most Culturally Diverse Neighborhood

New York is a city of superlatives. A new series of walking tours around the city, led by the New York Times architecture critic, draws out the many examples of the city's exceptionalism.

September 10, 2020 - The New York Times

La Maison Rose

A 'Dining Revolution' Comes Home

A California bill approved in 2018 legalized restaurants to locate in homes, setting the foundation for a new restaurant economy just when communities needed it most.

September 9, 2020 - Eater Los Angeles

United Kingdom

'Place-Healing': From Adaptation to Manifesto

Amid pandemic and protest, the need for urban mending has become abundantly clear, with responses that invoke the more ethereal elements of a physical place I like to call it "place-healing," a term that seems right for the times.

September 8, 2020 - Charles R. Wolfe

Car Traffic

How the Pandemic Has Magnified the Pre-Existing Housing Crisis

Declining rents won't be a silver lining in the post-pandemic housing crisis.

September 8, 2020 - Citymetric

Toomsboro, Georgia

The Freedom Georgia Initiative Buys 97 Acres to Build a New Black Community

Inspired by the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and a speech by rapper Killer Mike, a group of Black families is investing from the ground up in a new community that prioritizes the safety and financial empowerment of Black residents.

September 7, 2020 - Revolt

Chicago Bike Trail

More Cities Pressing Pause on Development as Gentrification, Displacement Concerns Persist

Chicago and Atlanta both approved development moratoriums in areas surrounding new urban amenities this year. Other cities could soon add to the number.

September 7, 2020 - The Washington Post

Coronavirus and Public Health

Designing Play Streets for Social Distancing

What happens to Play Streets when playing together is a danger?

September 3, 2020 - Next City

Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Community Opposition and a Rezoning Controversy in Philadelphia

The local councilmember is seeking a rezoning from commercial to residential in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, but local community members say the development will be priced out of their range.

September 3, 2020 - WHYY

Brooklyn Redevelopment

Opinion: How to Protect Cities From a Private Development 'Feeding Frenzy'

A New York city councilmember, trained in urban planning, presents ideas for protecting tenants and small businesses in the ongoing economic downturn.

September 3, 2020 - The New York Times

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

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.