A new book posits that truly successful communities have a strong economic base and a firmly rooted sense of place.

A new book by William Fulton outlines a simple equation: “Place plus prosperity equals a successful community.” According to an article by Alan Ehrenhalt in Governing, Fulton’s book examines the “subtle relationship between wealth and sense of place.” Many American communities, Ehrenhalt argues, have one or the other, but not both.
For Fulton, “A fully realized city needs to contain all the benefits of an integrated urban existence: close proximity of its citizens to the fulfilment of their ordinary human needs, the ability to walk and bike everywhere, an efficient transit system and a rich tapestry of everyday urban life.”
Ehrenhalt writes, “What is crucial on the prosperity side, Fulton believes, is a business base that builds on the tenets of place that lie beneath commercial prosperity.” Meanwhile, “The sense of place can be, and most often is, the product of a slow process of evolution. Or it can result from an intense desire to create something that did not exist before.”
Ehrenhalt provides examples from around the country: built-from-scratch cities like Las Vegas, sprawling suburban landscapes like Southern California, and former industrial powerhouses like Pittsburgh that have reinvented themselves for a new economy. While many places haven’t yet achieved Fulton’s vision, Ehrenhalt writes that the experiments happening in cities and towns all over the United States shows that identity and prosperity can go hand in hand.
FULL STORY: Place and Prosperity: An Urban Success Formula

New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.

Austin’s Project Connect Transit Plan Drastically Reduced
The details of drastic reductions to the proposed building program for Austin’s Project Connect long-range transit plan are now open for public comment.

‘Bus Revolution’ Revised in Philadelphia
The bus system redesign underway in Philadelphia changed direction after riders and local politicians complained about an initial draft plan.

Hudson Valley City Bans Fossil Fuels in New Construction
Beacon will require all-electric appliances in new buildings starting next year.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.