Municipal bonds are being defaulted on left and right. But the news sounds worse than it is. Few of those defaults are by cities -- for now.
Because the definition of the "municipal bond" is somewhat loose, other non-municipal organizations like colleges and hospitals can also issue them. Many of these non-municipal entities have not weathered the recession well.
"Defaults on municipal debt increased dramatically from $329 million in 2007 to nearly $7.8 billion in 2008, according to Richard Lehmann, publisher of a newsletter that tracks defaults. Municipal defaults are once again in the billions of dollars this year. However, if you haven't heard about the wave of cities and counties that are defaulting on their financial obligations, there's a good reason why: The wave doesn't exist, at least not yet."
FULL STORY: Just How Strong Are Muni Bonds?
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.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.