With growth controls making suburban properties less attractive and wealth becoming concentrated in older centres, Canada's big box retailers are looking downtown for new locations.
"[S]ome of the biggest names in the big-box sector have decided they are missing out on a huge customer base in Canada's city centres and are repackaging themselves accordingly, with as-yet-unknown consequences for the urban neighbourhoods targeted for expansion.
With provincial governments in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec getting tougher on suburban sprawl, land on the urban fringe is getting more expensive [...] At the same time, big-box developers and retailers have come to the conclusion that as downtowns become denser and more gentrified [...]ignoring a growing population of affluent urban customers begins to look rather silly.
All of this might signal a transformation in the basic economics of big-box retail. [...] But no one knows yet what will happen to independent businesses if and when big boxes become a dominant presence in urban areas, and not one-off curiosities."
FULL STORY: Big-box stores venture into foreign terrain
Community-Led Efforts to Combat Gentrification in Philadelphia’s University City
How residents came together to fight for housing equity.
Louisville Launches ‘Anti-Displacement Tool’
After a years-long, tenant-led effort, Louisville will use a new tool to analyze whether a proposed housing development can meet a neighborhood’s housing needs and income levels. If it doesn’t, the city won’t subsidize it.
Beltline Surpasses Annual Affordable Housing Goal
The Atlanta Beltline agency is actively working to prevent the displacement of longtime residents along the trail system, where property values are rising rapidly.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
How Smart Street Lights Can Help Cities Achieve Sustainability Goals
Switching to energy-efficient LEDs and using tech to program when and how street lighting operates can save cities millions in electricity expenses and bring down carbon emissions.
NOAA: Southwest ‘Megadrought’ to Persist
Roughly 40 percent of the 48 lower U.S. states are currently in some state of ‘abnormally dry conditions.’
Jersey City Program Offers Battery Swaps for Electric Bikes and Scooters
Residents can swap depleted batteries for fully charged ones as well as charge and park their devices at two pilot sites.
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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