Successful recording artists Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to develop a neighborhood specifically for the city's musicians.
"In the months following Hurricane Katrina, two well-connected musicians, Harry Connick, Jr., and Branford Marsalis, began thinking about how they could help New Orleans's music scene recover. They soon teamed with Habitat for Humanity to envision Musicians' Village: a neighborhood composed of 70 single-family homes, five duplexes, a park, and a performance center, that would provide musicians with affordable housing and work space. The move from cultural mission to concrete buildings has not been as simple-or as musical-as they initially hoped it would be, but it is finally showing success.
Musicians' Village is located on an 8-acre site in the Upper Ninth Ward. At its heart will be a 250-seat music hall. Designed by the local firm Mathes Brierre Architects, the 15,000-square-foot Ellis Marsalis Center for Music (named for the pianist and patriarch of the famed Marsalis clan) pursues a contemporary glass-and-brick aesthetic in a neighborhood characterized by clapboard structures. Generous fenestration will let in plenty of daylight-which, coupled with photovoltaic cells generating the building's electricity, could qualify the project for LEED Gold certification. Construction is set to begin in September."
FULL STORY: New Orleans Musicians Get Sound New Housing

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?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

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.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie