Housing
Greening New Orleans
In the slow recovery from Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is finally getting into the green movement.
USDA Loans Push Rural Housing
A little-known USDA program offers Rural Development Guaranteed Loans, which would allow low-income residents to buy homes in "rural" areas--places with fewer than 25,000 people. Under this guideline, many suburbs in Phoenix qualify.
Infrastructure, Housing Spotlighted in Canada's Budget
The Budget tabled by Canada's Conservative government doles out billions of dollars for infrastructure and housing, but it comes with a proviso: the Provinces and municipalities have to ante up billions as well.
Homeowners Strike Back
Underwhelmed by government, communities, organizations (like ACORN) and ad-hoc citizen's groups are coming together to fight back against foreclosures.
What's Next for the Cityburbs?
The line between suburb and city blurs as suburbs struggle with the problems of the cities' past. But there's hope, say this article's authors, who make a case for regionalism and government's active role in reinventing such struggling places.
When Kids Design Neighborhoods
Coriandoline, a housing development in Correggio, Italy, is the first to have been designed primarily by children. The award-winning neighborhood boasts themed houses and "built-in playability."
Coney Island Brings in Residences and Retail
Highlights of the Coney Island revival plan include new housing, shops, and recreational facilities--which some say have no place in the historic amusement district.
Communities Reeling from Foreclosure Crisis
America's foreclosure crisis is taking a heavy toll on communities by diminishing tax bases, lowering school enrollments, and contributing to rising crime.
Obama's Urban Issues Team
Barack Obama has announced the three members of the "urban issues" arm of his incoming cabinet. Grist's Ryan Avent takes a look at Shaun Donovan, Ray LaHood and Adolfo Carrion and what they may mean for urban policy.
Creating Sustainability in Oregon
The master plan for Salem, Oregon's Pringle Creek Community is ambitious, says Jim Fitzsimons, incorporating mixed-use, sustainable development with the community-enhancing aspects of old city neighborhoods.
Record Foreclosures in 2008
The latest figures show that one out of every 54 households were in foreclosure in 2008; analysts expect millions more foreclosures in the coming year.
New York's Plan to Avoid Blight
New York City has announced plans to use $24 million in federal financing to repair and resell more than 100 foreclosed homes in the city.
A Study in Texas New Urbanism
Terrain.org takes a look at Plum Creek, a New Urbanist development outside Austin, TX that added 1,400 households to a town that had only 4,000 people in the mid-1990s.
Living at the Mall - Not Just a Figure of Speech
What comes next for the doomed, enclosed mall across America? This article highlights a number of solutions, including an adaptive reuse model that incorporates housing units inside the mall itself.
Oregon UGB Expanded
Bend, Oregon councilmembers took no more than five minutes to vote to expand the city's urban growth boundaries, adding nearly 9,000 acres of developable land to the city's map.
For Amish, Building Code and Religion Don't Jibe
Eleven Amish families have sued their own town for religious discrimination in its building code.
Importing the Tijuana Model
Architect Teddy Cruz is creating new models of affordable housing using the shantytowns of Tijuana as his inspiration.
The End of the Age of McMansions
Fewer teardowns and new home starts back up the perception that the age of the McMansion is coming to an end.
Neighborhood Rises Again Through Rail
This piece from The Washington Post looks at a formerly thriving streetcar neighborhood that has become a thriving Metro neighborhood -- despite decades of decline in between.
Job Growth Linked to Housing Supply
Job growth is slower in areas that don't have enough housing, according to a new study.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
