Community / Economic Development

Houston’s Restaurant Resurgence Points to Economic Recovery
The city’s restaurants are bouncing back faster than other industries, providing a key source of jobs.

Centering Equity in Short-Term Rental Regulations
How can city officials mitigate the negative impacts of short-term rentals?

Legislature Clears Way for Detroit Convention Center Makeover
A redevelopment plan for Huntington Place would add hundreds of new hotel rooms and create riverfront connectivity.

How the Restaurant Scene Became a Symbol of Gentrification
While redevelopment-related displacement is the result of broader market forces and policy decisions, restaurants and cafes have become an emotionally charged flashpoint for the debate over gentrification.

Where Have All the Third Spaces Gone?
As businesses shortened their hours during the pandemic, Philadelphia residents found themselves with fewer options for places to spend their evenings.

Planning Year in Review 2022: Downtowns, Transportation, Climate Change
Part two of a review of the major themes, debates, and events of the year in planning that was 2022.

Gentrification in Houston’s Rapidly Changing East End
Two approaches to redevelopment reveal the nuances of gentrification and neighborhood change.

Ohio to Demolish Thousands of Vacant Buildings
The state is funding a $150 million effort to raze blighted buildings to accelerate revitalization.

Placemaking Redefined by a New Era of Federal Investment
Six tips for ensuring that new placed-based funding programs, such as the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, achieve the full potential of a new era of place-based federal investment.

The Best, Worst, and Most Questionable in 2022 Architecture and Design
A list of innovative projects, intriguing design, and flummoxing failures.

From ‘Urban Exodus’ to ‘Urban Doom Loop’
The initial shocks of the Covid 19 pandemic have become more persistent, and it’s time to start wondering what comes next for the communities on either side of the changes.

‘Housing First’ Pilot Launched in New York City
The city has started small with a “Housing First” approach to homelessness—moving 80 people experiencing homelessness into supportive housing in recent months.

As Remote Work Persists, Ohio Cities Brace for Tax Revenue Losses
Cities like Dayton expect to see a reduction in income tax revenue as more remote workers begin paying taxes to their home jurisdictions.

Detroit To Build New Parking for Small Businesses
The city will invest $9 million in an initiative to build customer parking on city-owned lots to boost economic development.

Electric Vehicles Require Real Progress—Not Lip Service—on Equity
Communities of color are already being left behind as the nation prepares the infrastructure for an electric future.

$323 Million Waterfront Project Cruising Along in St. Louis
Lighthouse Point, a $323 million marina and waterfront development proposed for the banks of the Mississippi River, has already been granted a special district, tax abatements, and sales tax exemptions.

Developers Rebrand Baltimore’s Port Covington Megaproject
The megaproject formerly known as Port Covington is now known as Baltimore Peninsula.

Outdoor Dining Parklets No Longer Cheap and Easy
Cities in Santa Cruz County, California are making outdoor dining laws permanent, and some businesses are getting sticker shock at the extra cost of maintaining the pandemic-era expansion of al fresco dining.

Office Vacancies Could Cost San Francisco $200 Million by 2028
The fiscal toll of the pandemic is only beginning to reveal itself. The challenges presented to growing office vacancy rates are not unique to San Francisco.

Seeking a Post-Pandemic Comeback, WeWork to Close More Offices
WeWork isn’t dead yet, hoping to ride post-pandemic interest in flexible workspace to a comeback story for the ages. There are still cuts to be made, however.
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