A major grocer in Ohio is trying to keep some of its smaller stores open in areas that would otherwise be food deserts. But profits are hard to come by, and stores continue to move out of town.
"Kroger's decision to close an unprofitable and aged store in Roselawn last month has spotlighted again a years-long debate over the role grocers and municipalities should play in providing residents with healthy food.
This time though, the issue is on stronger footing. Troubled by rising obesity rates, a local Food Access Task Force is working to identify communities with limited access to fresh and healthy food, areas it calls "food deserts." State and federal organizations have pinpointed examples of these deserts all over the country. President Barack Obama has made supermarket expansion and access to food key priorities in his 2011 budget."
A recent analysis by The Cincinnati Enquirer shows that grocery stores in the metropolitan area have steadily moved out of city neighborhoods and into outlying areas.
FULL STORY: Grocer trends create 'deserts'

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions