Detroit

Detroit Skyline

A Culture Change Takes Hold at the Detroit Planning Department

For all its troubles, Detroit has undertaken some of the greatest urban success stories of recent years. New leadership at the city's Planning Department is hoping to expand those narratives to long-neglected parts of the city.

December 20, 2016 - The Detroit Free Press

Rescue Bus

Metro Detroit's Millage Tax Comes Within Half a Percentage Point of Passing

A $4.6 billion transit plan proposed by the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan received 49.5 percent of the vote on November 8. The millage tax would have funded bus rapid transit and regional rail within a four-county region.

November 17, 2016 - Ann Arbor News

Detroit's Failed Regional Transit Plan Strikes a Blow to the City's Revival

Voters in the Detroit region had a chance to reverse 40 years of neglect for regional transit. Instead, they kicked the can down the road.

November 11, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Homeless

Building Tiny Homes for Detroit's Homeless

Detroit plans to build 300 tiny homes on empty lots to help shelter the city's homeless.

November 1, 2016 - Christian Science Monitor

Detroit People Mover

Detroit Ballot Measure Puts Regional Transit in Reach

Involving four counties and $4.6 billion, the measure proposes a system that could put a million residents (and a million jobs) within a quarter mile of transit.

October 27, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Blight Demolition

The Dangers of Demolition for Its Own Sake

Jason Hackworth argues that demolition has come to be seen as a good, in and of itself, in rust belt cities like Detroit; giving rise to policies that are wrong-headed and dangerous.

October 15, 2016 - London School of Economics and Political Science - American Politics and Policy Blog

Detroit Construction

Tearing Down Detroit to Build It Back Up

Detroit continues tear down empty housing in its farther afield neighborhoods, even as its downtown enjoys a spate of new construction.

October 5, 2016 - CNBC

Buffalo, New York

Geographers Seek Patterns and Solutions to Help Declining American Cities

Geographers publish results of a two-year study on declining cities around the country in a new book, "Shrinking Cities: Understanding Urban Decline in the United States."

September 27, 2016 - Next City

Chevy Bolt

How Detroit Beat the Silicon Valley to the Breakthrough Electric Vehicle

It costs less than $40,000 and gets over 200 miles to a charge. The Tesla Model 3? Yes, and also the Chevy Bolt, which goes to market first. A New York Times technology columnist writes that 'size matters' when it comes to innovation.

September 26, 2016 - The New York Times - Technology

Empty Park

Rebuilding Civic Spaces: Going Small To Get Big Results

A $40 million investment is being split between four cities—Memphis, Chicago, Akron, and Detroit—with the hopes of making big impacts for the community by revitalizing and/or repurposing exiting civic spaces.

September 15, 2016 - CityLab

Detroit Motor Bus

Detroit to Expand Bus Service

Good news for transit riders in Detroit—new buses and 24-hour routes are coming soon.

September 4, 2016 - The Detroit Free Press

Local Leadership and Civic Networks: What History Can Tell Us About Urban Success

The next time a city or community is struggling, rather than looking only to macroeconomic forces or national policymakers for reasons, we should equally examine the strength of local leadership and the texture of their networks.

September 2, 2016 - Thriving Cities Blog

Voting

This November, Four Major Transportation Measures at Stake

If you live in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, or Los Angeles, you have more to look forward to in November than choosing Donald or Hillary. Major decisions concerning regional transportation are on the line.

August 31, 2016 - Governing

Detroit Street Art

Detroit to Explore 'Pink Zoning' to Reduce Red Tape

Detroit is looking for ideas to make it easier to revitalize neighborhood main streets.

August 12, 2016 - The Detroit News

Ann Arbor

Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Plan Back From the Dead

The board of the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority found a compromise and managed to get a regional transit plan onto the ballot for voters to consider in November.

August 4, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit Motor Bus

A Call to Action After Detroit Suburbs Kill Regional Transportation Plan

A $4.7 billion regional transportation plan died at the hands of suburban interests around Detroit last week. An op-ed describes the action as the same kind of racial disharmony that defined the mid- and late-20 century.

August 3, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

A Summary of CNU24 Detroit

Miss the Congress for the New Urbanism in Detroit? Hazel Borys shares some highlights, with help from Twitter urbanists.

July 8, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Getting to Know the Bike Lanes of Detroit

Where they are, what they're like, and what they mean for the city.

July 5, 2016 - WDET

aerial view of downtown detroit showing lots of parking lots

20-Minute Neighborhoods In Detroit

If Detroit needs to be "rebuilt" or "reimagined," why not do so around a walkable, convenient ideal? A compact Motor City where essential goods and services are available within a 20-minute walk?

July 2, 2016 - Detroit Free Press

Motown Muster

Military Veterans Deploy to Detroit to Take on Blight-Busting Volunteer Work

A volunteer organization called The Mission Continues connects veterans with volunteer work around the country. The healing power of their efforts goes both ways.

June 30, 2016 - Fox 2

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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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.