The usual litany of Rust Belt woes hit North Braddock, Pennsylvania particularly hard. The Pittsburgh suburb has shed two-thirds of its population and is burdened with 350 abandoned properties.

Next to Detroit's legendary depopulation, the loss of twelve thousand residents seems minuscule. But for North Braddock it means a population down two-thirds and a dangerous accumulation of abandoned homes. Nafari Vanaski spoke to residents and officials about their long struggle with the problem.
Dave Andrews, a code enforcement officer, faces an uphill battle finding the owners of ramshackle rental properties, let alone compelling them to repair. "He's in court about twice a month trying to get people to fix their homes or pay the fine. Usually, those trips are fruitless, and he hears about it from frustrated residents. 'They think I'm not doing my job because nothing gets done.'"
Desperate for funds to properly dispose of abandoned structures, North Braddock considered welcoming the natural gas industry. Vanaski writes, "Officials were ready to consider the idea, but many residents turned up at the next council meeting to reject it, for reasons ranging from opposition to fracking to the possibility they might lose the view from their house as the work proceeded."
According to borough manager Doug Marguriet, "It should be national policy … to do something about all these old industrial towns by eliminating blight. Then you give the markets a chance to revitalize. But if you don't get rid of the blight, nothing's going to happen. You can't build new houses in the midst of blight."
FULL STORY: So Many Houses, So Little Money: How to Manage the Abandoned Properties of North Braddock, PA?

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.