The Mountain View neighborhood in Anchorage is described as the most diverse neighborhood in the U.S., becoming a model of neighborhood change and a community of choice thanks to the efforts of local leaders and many dedicated community residents.
Daniel George, president of the Mountain View Community Council in Anchorage, Alaska, emphasizes the importance of consulting with local residents, "A lot of people who live here have never been asked what they would like to see here. Mountain View is largely a rental community. Many of the properties are rental properties where the owners don’t live on it. You see a lot of multi-unit apartments … oftentimes people don’t go to renters and say, ‘hey, what would you like to see on the property?’ But the community council gets to be that voice."
George moved into the Mountain View neighborhood in 2009 and he bought a house there. George says, "I fell in love with this neighborhood, and decided to move here."
"As someone that invests here and lives here, some people don’t have a high opinion of Mountain View," explained George, "and it’s certainly had its share of social ills and crime. But things are changing. ... Anyone that’s driven through Mountain View can see that it’s changed a great deal. People are looking to buy homes here now. First time homebuyers are coming in. We’re working to make it a community of choice, the first choice."
FULL STORY: A Community of Choice
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)