Small Business
New California Law Protects Commercial Tenants
The law, modeled on residential tenants’ rights, acknowledges the uneven power dynamics between many small business owners and their commercial landlords.
New Jersey Bill Would Ease Permitting for Home-Based Businesses
The proposed law would eliminate the need for home-based business owners to undergo a review by their local zoning boards to encourage small entrepreneurship.
Small Downtown Businesses Adapt to Fewer Office Workers
Businesses that traditionally serve commuters have had to make adjustments to stay in business as remote work empties out central business districts.
Developer Aims to Fill a 'Craft Beer Desert' in Austin
Yeah, they went there.
How Downtown Public Space Investments Impact Equity
Efforts to revitalize declining downtowns have, in some cases, become catalysts for supporting small, minority-owned, local businesses.
It's Good to Be a Small Business in These 6 U.S. Cities
Here are six U.S. cities where small companies are thriving.
How Some Main Street Businesses Survived the Pandemic
Despite the economic blow dealt by last year's lockdowns, business districts in smaller cities like Wilkes-Barre managed to weather the crisis.
Many Small Farmers Predict Bankruptcy by the End of the Year
As peak harvest season approaches, about a third of small farmers expect that their short-chain food business will not survive to continue production in 2021.
As Housing Units Multiply, Local Businesses Struggle to Hang On in Downtown Oakland
The city of Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, is the rare California city quickly adding housing units to the urban core. Local businesses are struggling to hang on as construction changes the fabric of the neighborhood.
Planning Department Study Documents Storefront Vacancy in NYC Neighborhoods
A new report from the New York Department of City Planning has found that storefront vacancy may not be a one-answer citywide problem. Vacancies were found to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods, and the reasons appear to be varied.
Chicago Should Legalize A-Frame Signs, Alderman Says
A-frame sandwich board signs are illegal in Chicago, but they're widely used anyway.
Roanoke, Virginia's Evolving Economy Moves Beer-ward
Once, trains dominated the city’s economy, now it's "brains, bikes and beer," according to city officials.
Where Chain Restaurants Dominate
Yelp released revealing new data about city restaurants, showing which cities have a culture of independent eateries and which are dominated by chains.
Silicon Valley Looks To Kill The Corner Store
A new startup is either a disruptive technology that will forever change the corner store, or yet another example of Silicon Valley looking to gentrify neighborhoods.
How to Encourage Entrepreneurship in Your Town
Entrepreneurship is a hot word these days. Lots of towns say they would like to attract more entrepreneurs and grow their small business communities. But how do you do it?
New York City Residential Construction Sluggish in Recovery
For a city famous for high cost of living, incredible demand for housing, famous examples of gentrification, and political pressure to build, New York City is lagging behind the volumes of residential construction approved in comparable cities.
A Clash of Cultural Sensibilities in South Philly
Allyn Gaestel outlines the tensions that arise as a growing Vietnamese community begins to define the visual character of Washington Ave. in South Philadelphia.
Seven Strategies For Inner City Growth
Participants from a conference called the Inner City Economic Summit offer a variety of themes on "What Works" for meeting the needs of inner cities economies.
The Once and Future Urbanism of Sandwich Boards
Chuck Wolfe traces the comeback of sandwich board signage in cities, explains how associated regulations work, and offers reasons why such signage should be carefully fostered.
Business Leaders Push Back on Philadelphia Red Tape
A report from the Sustainable Business Network recommends policy changes that will help Philadelphia improve business formation and job growth.
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.
Placer County
Skagit Transit
Berkeley County
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
