While U.S. rural communities gained in population overall, the growth came largely in the South.

A new Pennsylvania state commission seeks to address population loss and aging in rural communities. According to an article by Will Wright in Daily Yonder, “Several counties are expected to lose more than 10% of their population by 2050, according to a report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. Statewide, the Center reported that rural counties face a 5.8% decline over the next 25 years.”
The issue raises concerns, as rural residents over 65 could soon outnumber people under 20, leading to a strain on social resources and infrastructure. “The implications range from workforce shortages to declining property tax revenue, complications in caring for aging residents and more.”
The new Rural Population Revitalization Commission will create a toolkit to help communities address the issues brought on by population loss and bring in new residents. “Part of what the commission can help with is teaching rural places how to market themselves and show young people why they should consider moving there,” according to Kyle Kopko, the executive director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
FULL STORY: New State-Level Commission out of Pennsylvania Hones in on Rural Population Decline

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

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.

Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.

Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)