Think Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"It had to happen, but why is it happening now? Secondary tech hubs – outside the orbit of Silicon Valley and New York – are showing undeniable momentum this year," reports Conor Sen.
Sen writes the story after returning from a tour of Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with "venture capitalists and team members from the early-stage venture capital firm Bloomberg Beta" for the third round of the Comeback Cities Tour.
A "confluence of forces" has created this momentum for secondary tech cities, according to Sen, such as closing logistical gaps, the spread of urban amenities (the "Brooklyn-ization of America," as described by Sen), lower costs in non-coastal cities, and signals from tech giants.
"As a result, founders and investors are growing more comfortable with companies being founded and scaled outside of traditional hubs," writes Sen.
"It's not clear right now just how transformative or long-lasting this trend could be for secondary hubs. Business people in both cities talked about challenges they share being in nontraditional tech cities: finding workers with startup rather than traditional corporate experience, founders still being somewhat reliant on getting investors in San Francisco or New York to buy into their stories rather than being able to tap local capital, and a lack of successful startup exits or IPOs that would get the local community to have more confidence in startup ecosystems."
FULL STORY: The Year That Big Tech Hubs Got Some Competition

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.

Making Mobility More Inclusive
A new study highlights the challenges people with disabilities continue to face in navigating urban spaces.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service