David Schalliol, director of the documentary, 'The Area,' talks about the impact of a railroad expansion that demolished the homes of 400 families on the South Side of Chicago.

The last four years saw a long slow process by which about ten blocks on Chicago's South Side were bought or acquired through eminent domain and converted into a rail yard. As the homes were acquired and either left uninhabited or demolished by Norfolk Southern, which was only interested in the land, the community emptied out. David Schalliol's film The Area documents how that process unfolded in Englewood.
"Throughout the expansion push, many held out for years, particularly with black pride of ownership and community—pushing back in a city infamous for redlining and housing discrimination—rarely seems far from the surface," reports Stephen Gossett in Chicagoist.
The Area, which was originally produced as a short (see below), documents the experience that some of those left behind faced as there community originally faced the prospect of its demise. For some, moving was not merely a financial consideration. "Schalliol recalls a woman who spent some 55 years in her home, which she needed to anchor her memory as her dementia worsened. "No offer would have been sufficient” for the family," Gossett wrote.
FULL STORY: 'The Area' Director Talks RR Expansion That Bulldozed Entire Community

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.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time
A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth
Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas
Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.
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 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