A series of reports published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Smart Growth America highlights tools and policies that can help mitigate displacement pressure when recovering and developing brownfields around the United States.

Smart Growth America (SGA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization recently created a set of anti-displacement fact sheets.
The fact sheets “highlight strategies communities can use to help mitigate displacement in the context of brownfields redevelopment,” according to an article by Jared Klukas. “Although there are many approaches to mitigating displacement during and after the completion of a brownfield redevelopment process, many communities may be unfamiliar with specific tools or how they can be implemented.”
The list of fact sheets reveals some of the tools explored as options for anti-displacement measures connected to brownfield mitigation and development. Titles include “Community Benefit Agreements,” “Community Land Trusts,” “Inclusionary Zoning,” “Small Business Preservation,” and “Tax Abatement.”
The fact sheet for inclusionary zoning (IZ), always a hot topic in planning debates, lists the benefit of the tool as the maintenance of affordable housing and housing affordable for a range of incomes in context of rising housing prices. “Research shows that inclusionary zoning programs are most effective when they are mandatory and coupled with incentives that encourage development. Incentives used to attract and encourage IZ programs for developers include density bonuses, fee waivers, parking reductions, and more streamlined and expeditious permit approval processes,” reads the fact sheet.
To create the fact sheets, the organizations conducted interviews with community groups and municipal leaders from across the country for insight into what works and what doesn’t.
FULL STORY: Anti-displacement fact sheets for communities undergoing brownfields redevelopment

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie