A non-profit affordable housing developer sets an example as one of the first to move into an impoverished neighborhood.
Five years ago, Dan Short began a journey that would lead him to the “Mustard Seed Development Corp. -- a community-centered nonprofit with deep religious roots. Short looked at the neighborhood...and discovered its ZIP code, 73114, made up the second-poorest in the Oklahoma City. Mustard Seed's plan became to take the entire area and make it the group's focus...In order to address these concerns, Short decided he had to practice what he would soon begin to preach. He moved into the neighborhood."
"It's the core belief we have. By moving here and living here, we are close to the people that we're working with and we become their neighbors and their families. We become connected in very real ways…It makes it possible for us to do a much more effective job of understanding what the needs are and developing solutions with them -- not for them."
FULL STORY: Like a Good Neighbor
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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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.