The federal government offered to $24 million to create a loan pool in struggling areas of North St. Louis County—most infamously displayed to the country over the past year in the intense racial conflicts centering around Ferguson.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced "the allocation of more than $26 million from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program for St. Louis County, Missouri," according to a release from the county of St. Louis. Making up the bulk of that total, "St. Louis County received $24 million under the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program to establish a loan pool for community development projects." In addition to the $24 million, HUD granted $2.4 million in Declared Disaster Recovery Funds for areas damaged by tornadoes and severe storms in 2013.
Local news station KVHS reports more detail about how the money will be spent: "St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger says much of the money is expected to go to north St. Louis County, including Ferguson, where economic disparity became a focal point during unrest that followed the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer last year."
The Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program can found projects ranging from "transit-oriented development; mixed-use commercial, retail and multi-family rental development; business development loans; and public infrastructure and facilities, including collaborative projects that cross municipal borders," according to the press release.
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The recently funded “Yes In My Back Yard” federal grant program provides support for local and state governments to implement housing policy reforms, but it doesn’t go far enough to undo the exclusionary practices of wealthy communities.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
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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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions