Social / Demographics

The article suggests that rising gas prices, enduring subprime mortgage crisis, and some changing demographics (i.e., the aging of Baby Boomers) are all contributing to the greater popularity of central city neighborhoods.

This commentary from ArchNewsNow wonders whether urbanism is really the cause of social alienation, not the cure.

Architects are coming together to create innovative designs aimed at solving the world's tough humanitarian problems.

A grassroots group is working to remove barriers to erecting clotheslines, which are commonly banned by apartments buildings as a blight. The group is pitching their work as an energy conservation effort.

Boston's Fort Point Channel neighborhood, New England's largest artist community, is struggling to retain its identity as developers continue to transform studio space into condominiums.

San Francisco's rapid loss of low and middle-income residents is taking a toll on the city's social fabric.

This segment from NPR features a discussion with Houston Mayor Bill White about the city's increasing congestion, the limits of zoning, and the population's reaction to rising gas prices.

Monocle Magazine looks worldwide for the most livable cities.

The rise in virtual connections and Internet-based communities had many worried that traditional community interaction was dying out. Governing's Alan Ehrenhalt argues it hasn't yet, and probably won't.

"Football Carnivals" are on the rise in Germany, where the community viewing buzz from the 2006 World Cup has hung around and revived itself for the current European Championship.

The use of geographic information systems for the public good is a rapidly growing field. The technology shows great promise for discovering unequal distribution of resources and environmental racism, writes Peter Manzo.

In an effort to increase livability, New York City will test a 6.9 mile car-free corridor during the month of August.

Baltimore considers following in the footsteps of Paris, San Francisco and Copenhagen by opening a "design center", a place for people to gather and debate the design of their city.

New Urbanism as a movement is fifteen years old this year; a state by state analysis by New Urban News shows steady growth (in some places more than others) and produced some surprises as well.

As walkable urban communities become the neighborhoods of choice, are suburban subdivisions destined to become twenty-first century slums?

From Home Depot to high-rise office buildings, Harlem's upward trend is producing "root shock," causing some residents to believe it is only a matter of time before they are displaced.

The US has never encouraged cycling as a practical mode of travel, and as a result, biking to work is a rare and hazardous activity, with four times the fatality rate of some European countries. A Rutgers University study shows how that can change.