Community / Economic Development

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

7 Grassroots Strategies Empowering Urban Communities
These grassroots strategies are helping urban neighborhoods improve the quality of life for many of their citizens.

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.

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.

'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.

How the Pandemic Has Magnified the Pre-Existing Housing Crisis
Declining rents won't be a silver lining in the post-pandemic housing crisis.

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.

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.

Designing Play Streets for Social Distancing
What happens to Play Streets when playing together is a danger?

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.

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.
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Planning for Universal Design
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New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions