Community / Economic Development
Saving Walkable Urban Places
A few key changes can help downtowns out of the ‘urban doom loop.’
Experts Call for Extreme Heat Action Plans as Communities Face Growing Risks
Experts are urging cities and counties to develop heat action plans and personalized heat warnings as extreme heat becomes a leading cause of climate-related deaths.
Puente Hills Regional Park Development Gets $15M Boost
The federal grant will help to transform the former Puente Hills Landfill into a 142-acre regional park, bringing much-needed green space and environmental benefits to the San Gabriel Valley.
Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities
The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.
Extraction on Tribal Lands Contributes to State Coffers
A recent investigation reveals that profits from oil, grazing, and other uses on state-managed tribal lands are funding off-reservation public institutions.
Atlanta: An Urban Planner's Guide to the City
The nation’s first majority-Black city, Atlanta, has a rich identity steeped in African American culture and a sprawling footprint shaped by a complex history of the enterprising ‘Atlanta spirit,’ race relations, and segregation.
Economic Impacts of Zoning for Cannabis Businesses
Discover the economic impacts of zoning for cannabis businesses, including how these regulations affect local economies, influence real estate values, and shape community development.
‘Week Without Driving’ Challenge: Are You Up For It?
The Week Without Driving challenge, scheduled Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 this year, encourages motorists, particularly policy makers and planning practitioners, to experience the challenges facing nondrivers in automobile-dependent communities.
Study Reveals Los Angeles a Hotspot for Insect Diversity
A study reveals that L.A. is a surprising hotspot for insect and spider biodiversity, with diversity driven more by proximity to mountains and stable temperatures than by land value.
Creative Ways to Activate Roofless Buildings and Vacant Lots
Pocket parks aren’t the only way to repurpose underused urban spaces.
The Essential Role of Parks in Advancing Sustainability
Parks are vital to sustainability, providing environmental, economic, and social benefits that improve public health, support biodiversity, and promote equity, as recognized in Los Angeles County’s OurCounty Plan.
New Study Shows How Urban Trees Improve Public Health
Louisville's Green Heart project demonstrates that strategically planting trees in underserved neighborhoods can significantly reduce inflammation levels, highlighting the health benefits of urban greenery through a novel, data-driven approach.
Puente Hills Landfill Redevelopment Plan Wins Award for Transformative, Climate-Responsive Design
This project to transform a former landfill into a climate-resilient public space has won the 2024 Global Impact Award from ASLA and IFLA for its innovative, community-driven design that addresses environmental and social challenges.
Mall Redevelopment in Silicon Valley
Dead malls across the Bay Area are being transformed into R&D centers, housing, and transportation hubs.
Commentary: Ensuring a Sustainable Future for Hurricane-Vulnerable Rural Communities Is Imperative
As we brace for the second half of the 2024 hurricane season, we need to take serious action to help rural communities recover and build greater resilience against hurricanes.
Denver Bans Downtown Food Trucks — Again
City officials say the controversial policy, first enacted in 2022, is an effort to reduce crime in the nightlife district.
Envisioning a New Park in East Los Angeles
Los Angeles County is working towards transforming underutilized land into a vibrant pocket park in the City Terrace neighborhood of East LA.
Rising Heat Threatens Growing California Cities
Many rapidly growing inland California cities are facing increased extreme heat days due to climate change, putting more residents at risk of health issues and overwhelming local infrastructure.
Symposium Highlights the Crucial Role of Trees in Combatting Extreme Heat
Experts emphasize that planting and maintaining trees in urban areas is essential for reducing extreme heat, cooling cities, and preventing heat-related illnesses, especially as heatwaves become more frequent and severe.
Study: Cost of Expanding Roads Outweighs Benefits
New research shows that the economic benefits of roadbuilding projects don’t come close to exceeding most projects’ costs.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
