Community / Economic Development
What Is a Central Business District (CBD)?
A central business district (CBD) is a geographic area sometimes referred to as downtown, but with key distinctions critical to an understanding of city and regional planning.
COVID Stimulus Details for Planners
A few last minute changes were included in the version of the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, approved by Congress last night.
Adapting Building Codes to Natural Disasters Saves Billions
New research shows that modern building codes have prevented around $27 billion in damage from natural disasters between 2000 and 2016, yet many cities still operate under decades-old regulations.
The Race to Preserve America's Black Cemeteries
America's historic Black cemeteries, which have long fallen victim to displacement, relocation, and outright destruction, could have a new ally in the fight for preservation and recognition.
A Farewell to One-Size-Fits-All Urbanism
Sustaining culture and character is more than a black or white proposition. It requires a careful blend that depends on local circumstances, meticulous research, and self-knowledge.
Pandemic Bus Lanes Show Promise as Permanent Solutions
As cities streamline approval processes for bus-only lanes during the pandemic, transit experts hope the projects will lead to lasting change.
The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics
The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.
A New Standard for Equity Investments
Fifth Third Bank is investing $2.8 billion in its Accelerating Racial Equality, Equity and Inclusion initiative.
Biden Selects Energy Secretary and New National Climate Advisor
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a U.C. Berkeley professor, is Biden's choice to lead the Energy Department. A new position, national climate advisor, will be filled by former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, current head of the NRDC.
Federal Rent Relief Is a Public Health Imperative
To ensure families stay in their homes and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government should extend the CDC's eviction moratorium and other rent relief measures through the new year.
Residential Development Tax to Fund Affordable Housing Programs
Philadelphia's city council passed the city's first-ever residential development impact tax, a plan that could boost the city budget by $9 million a year.
Austin Hopes to Buck Tradition with Anti-Gentrification Measures in its New Transit Plan
Project Connect promises to prioritize equity and inclusion with $300 million dedicated to anti-displacement efforts.
L.A. Metro Plans for an Equitable Recovery
The pandemic has forced difficult confrontations with inequities that existed long before the novel coronavirus. L.A. Metro planners are responding by charting a path toward a transportation system that reverses and improves those previous realities.
Age-Friendly Columbus Offers Solutions for Aging Cities
Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, celebrated five years of community engagement and advocacy aimed at improving quality of life for older adults.
Pandemic, Equity Dominate 2020 Planning News
Even with the world shut down, many California planning issues continued to be debated online, fought over in court, enacted in city halls, and realized on the ground. And yet, racial equity and the pandemic are the defining stories of 2020.
New California Bond Program Promotes Affordability for Middle-Income Renters
The California Statewide Communities Development Authority hopes that a new program, which helps cities purchase rental properties with no upfront cost, will lead to an increase in affordable middle-income housing.
Robert Bullard Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by the United Nations
Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University and author of the seminal book "Dumping in Dixie," has been awared the United Nation's highest environmental honor.
AIA Updates Ethics Code to Prohibit Design of Facilities Used for Solitary Confinement, Execution
Advocates in the design industries have been pushing for years for the American Institute of Architects to take a stance on how prisons are designed.
Germany Locks Down to Protect Healthcare System
Beginning Dec. 16, all of Germany will be subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions to reduce infections following a meeting with the chancellor and the 16 state governors. Schools will close and restaurants will be confined to take-out service.
Coastal Louisiana Communities Face Risks from Chemical Plants
Louisiana's chemical plants could release tons of toxic pollution into the air and water during storms, but anti-terrorism provisions make the process of finding risk management information prohibitively difficult.
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
