Community / Economic Development

IPCC Report Sways Microsoft to Endorse Carbon Fee Initiative on Washington Ballot
A dire report on climate change issued by a United Nations panel influenced Washington-based Microsoft to take a position on a controversial state carbon fee, Initiative 1631. Oil companies are fighting back, citing wide exemptions from the fee.

Report: Cleveland and Akron Showing Strength in the Heartland
While much of the news focuses on declining population and vacant homes, Cleveland and Akron have quietly outperformed many other cities on quality of life.

Economic Development Strategy: More Liquor Licenses
The state of New Jersey makes it difficult, and expensive, to obtain liquor licenses. Some say that policy makes economic development much harder than it could be.

'Nebraska: It’s not for everyone.'
Nebraska has a new tourism campaign, and it's unlikely to be unequivocally popular.

Chicago Moves Forward Legislation on Obama Presidential Center
The former president's Obama Presidential Center, to be constructed in Chicago's Jackson Park, has faced opposition from nearby residents concerned about its effects on the area.

To Reach Goals, L.A. Looks to New Ways to Build Homeless Housing
Los Angeles is grappling with the rising costs of building housing for homeless people. Rethinking the standard process is a way to save time and money.

Alaskans to Choose Between Salmon Habitat Protections and Resource Extraction
A contentious initiative on the Alaska ballot next month pits protecting salmon habitat protections against the interests of the oil and gas industry and mining companies.

Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy
For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.

District By District, Maps Trace Neighborhood Opportunity Across the U.S.
Down to the level of individual census tracts, a team of researchers has developed national maps showing where upward mobility is probable, and where it isn't.

New Research Shows Toronto Highly Segregated Along Race and Class Lines
A closer look at the numbers reveals stark divides among Toronto neighborhoods.

Carbon Taxes and Climate Change Are Focus of Nobel Prize for Economics
The Nobel Prize was issued the same day as a landmark report by the IPCC predicting dire consequences if emissions aren't reduced. That's what William D. Nordhaus of Yale University has devoted his career to addressing.

New Master Plan Envisions Brooklyn Navy Yard as Next-Gen Manufacturing Hub
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation's master plan for the site is a $2.5 billion bet that high-tech manufacturers can be enticed back to New York, bringing with them the economic heft to transform the whole area.

Why Canadian Cities Avoided Detroit's Fate
Simply put, this scholar says, it comes down to race. With far fewer non-white urban residents, Canadian cities didn't fall prey to the redlining, white flight, and incarceration problems that so heavily impacted cities like Detroit.

Memphis Downtown Boom Highlights the Potential of Adaptive Reuse
The city of Memphis, Tennessee is in the middle of an understated boom focused on downtown development and adaptive reuse.

Community-Based Planning: A Case Study
When neighborhoods are allowed to plan and zone without considering the regionwide interest in increasing housing stock, scarcity results.

Milwaukee Streetcar Boosting Property Values Before Opening
The M-Line of The Hop streetcar is set to open in Milwaukee on November 2, but property values the route are already climbing faster than the rest of the city.

Win-Win Solutions for Climate Protection and Health
The Call to Action on Climate and Health is an ambitious plan to achieve both global climate and health goals. Planners can help identify win-win solutions that provide multiple benefits and so can build broad implementation coalitions.

Creative Placemaking's Role in Enhancing Community Safety
Efforts across the country show that these projects have the added benefit of improving community safety.

In Detroit, Continuing the Legacy of Land Banks
While the Detroit Land Bank has had its ups and downs, it has made significant progress in a city with no shortage of vacant and delinquent properties.
Court Restores 'Doors and Windows' Code Enforcement Ordinance in Philadelphia
One of Philadelphia's most potent code enforcement tools is back in effect after the state Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling by a lower court.
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