Social / Demographics
Do You Smell Cigarette Smoke?
Smoking is physically harmful to smokers and non-smokers alike, but what about its impact on public space? Nate Berg reports on a new paper in Urban Studies based on interviews in Singapore -- where smoking has been regulated since 1970.
Why Some Cities are Using Eminent Domain to Save Mortgages
Some cities are fighting back against the mortgage crisis, using eminent domain to seize and write down troubled mortgages, keeping homeowners in their homes and keeping local economies afloat, writes Peter S. Goodman.
The Fallacy Behind the Downtown Growth Story
Wendell Cox delves into the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau that have prompted some to herald a return to America's downtowns, and argues that reports of such population growth are vastly overblown.
Do Benefits of Bike Helmets Outweigh Obstacles to Riding?
Elisabeth Rosenthal reflects on the deterrent to cycling, and the use of bike-sharing systems, posed by mandatory bike helmet laws. Does the rare serious injury prevented by a helmet outweigh discouraging cycling's wider health benefits?
What Are America's Best Cities?
For the second year running, Businessweek has conducted an evaluation of America's 100 largest cities to determine their list of the top 50. Alex Konrad discusses the results.
Could D.C. Ever Be Hip?
Forbes may think differently, but Washington D.C.'s residents know very well that their city isn't cool, writes Rebecca Greenfield. She discusses the structural reasons why D.C. is not, and never will be, hip.
Data Documents Divine Decade for Downtowns
Nate Berg looks at new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau that puts hard numbers behind what people across the country have observed: America's downtowns are booming again.
Buds of LEED-ND Begin to Bloom
LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) hasn't exactly unleashed a flurry of new sustainable, dense development. But, as the economy strengthens, innovative projects in Oakland, Syracuse, and Milwaukee are beginning to take flight.
Taking Health into Account
Do you know the effect your spiffy new development will have on the neighbors' health? Aaron Wernham and the Kresge Foundation think you could use a health impact assessment.
What's Driving the Rise in NYC Traffic Deaths?
Despite years of consistent decline, and a variety of efforts aimed at improving safety, traffic fatalities spiked by 23 percent last year in New York City. Matt Flegenheimer examines what may be causing the increase.
Baseball, Architecture, and the City of the Future
Montreal architect Vedanta Balbahadur writes about his hometown's fall from its status as Canada's premier city through the lenses of baseball and the built environment.
Annual PARK(ing) Day Lessons (Re)Learned
Last Friday was annual PARK(ing) Day, and for Howard Blackson, who participated in a pilot park(let) project in San Diego, the reasons to enable context appropriate civic space was underscored again.
Britain Squashes Squatters
Squatting has been a rite of passage for British youth since at least the 1960s, but a new law criminalizing the practice, amid a rise in squatters due to the economic crisis, is "upending the rebellious and politically charged British subculture."
Is International Immigration the Solution for Declining Cities?
With researching suggesting international immigration can kick-start local economies, cities across America are contemplating efforts at attracting, and retaining, immigrants. But are immigrants the silver bullet to revive declining cities?
Art and Empowerment Define a Community Development Success Story in Houston
Decaying and disused buildings litter many American inner-city neighborhoods. In Houston, one imaginative project turns potential into pride and empowerment by creating unique, new uses for old homes.
Does Neighborhood Determine Personal Success?
Although the findings of a vast, decades-long study into the effectiveness of efforts to decrease the segregation of poor families did not turn up the results social scientists had hoped for, those efforts were successful in unexpected ways.
Will a New Rail Line Hurt or Help Crenshaw Boulevard?
In the latest entry in his "Boulevards" series, Christopher Hawthorne reports on the planned light rail line along Crenshaw Blvd in Los Angeles, and how it has caused a rift for some residents who are feeling left out of the revitalization process.
Health Problems Can Be as Unique as the City
A first-of-its-kind study measures the unique health problems of individual cities in the European Union, revealing interesting, and sometimes mysterious, results.
Which Metro Area Boasts 7 of the 10 Most Affluent Counties in America?
New rankings from the 2011 American Community Survey released Thursday show that the residents of the D.C. area have benefited from an economy built on "the federal government, its legions of contractors and a flourishing high-tech sector."
How to Keep a City Running During a Blackout
Dr. Jay Apt offers four cost-effective steps for cities to maintain essential services when the next big blackout hits.
Pagination
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont