When California shuttered its hundreds of local redevelopment agencies, many believed a new (if smaller) system for funding affordable housing and development in blighted areas would soon follow. Two years later, the state is still waiting.
Though there was much discussion this year in California's legislature about resurrecting some form of redevelopment, the session ended without any bill being passed.
"Gov. Jerry Brown is so down on a new redevelopment regime that Senate leader Darrell Steinberg didn’t even both [sic] to put legislation on his desk this year, even though the new legislation won’t affect the state’s general fund and even though he could have gotten it passed in the Legislature," reports Bill Fulton. "Meanwhile, most cities that had active redevelopment agencies are snarled in the redevelopment wind-down process."
"Meanwhile, urban redevelopment in California remains a major challenge – and, not surprisingly, the fundamental problem is finding the money required to make urban projects and urban neighborhoods work."
FULL STORY: Still Waiting for Redevelopment 2.0
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How Smaller Supermarkets Could Transform American Communities
Bigger is not always better.
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Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness
An emerging field of ‘neuroarchitectural’ research is revealing how building facades and urban design impact the human brain and body.
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Save Lives on Our Roads Using the Safe System Approach
Prioritizing safety and committing to the SSA framework can make a big impact in the effort to reduce traffic fatalities.
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Rising Temperatures and the Escalating Wildfire Crisis
Rising global temperatures driven by climate change are intensifying and prolonging wildfire seasons worldwide, necessitating improved forest management, public awareness, and urgent action to reduce fossil fuel emissions.
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Looking Back on 60 Years of Land Development in the Twin Cities
In 1960, about 12 percent of the Twin Cities metro's land was already developed. By 2020, about 34 percent had been developed. Many factors influenced how the region has changed since 1960.
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New Haven Reaches for Reinvention Amidst Failures of Urban Renewal
Seeking recovery from decades of failed urban renewal projects, New Haven rings in the new year by continuing a series of small-scale urban planning initiatives to reinvent its municipal spaces.
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