Community / Economic Development

Chain Drugstores Are Closing, But Not Because of Shoplifting
Massive chain drug stores have become integral members of the urban fabric, for better or worse, but widespread store closures and security practices have come to symbolize urban decline. The dynamic must be monitored.

Tracking Boston’s Emissions Reduction Progress
The Boston Foundation published the “Inaugural Boston Climate Progress Report” earlier this month. Other U.S. cities should follow their lead.

Land Trusts Put Commercial Real Estate in Community Hands
A growing movement to create community-owned commercial spaces could shift power away from institutional landlords.

No Bragging Rights for Passing the Infrastructure Act?
You'd think the passage of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act would convey bragging rights for Democratic congress members facing competitive midterm elections today. Ironically, Republicans who opposed the bill are taking credit.

New Building Heights Approved for Austin
A zoning change has increase height limits from 308 feet to 420 feet for new buildings near the city’s MLS stadium.

D.C. Office of Planning Unveils Congress Heights Equitable Development Plan
The district’s small area plans (SAPs) are designed to ensure equitable economic and community development at the hyper-local level.

Use or Misuse of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
Rising gasoline prices prompted President Biden to announce on October 19 that he was authorizing the release of 15 million barrels of crude oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

How to Recognize Gentrification
A new book digs into the politics and contradictions of the gentrification debate.

Why Cities Will Outlast the Pandemic Slump
A new report suggests that despite recent challenges, the ‘value proposition’ of urban activity centers remains as strong as ever.

Open Streets and Outdoor Dining Are Best for Business, Report Says
Most business owners believe that they'd be out of business without on-street parking near their front door. The experience of New York City during the pandemic proves otherwise.

Zoning Changes Intended to Spur Redevelopment in Haledon, New Jersey
The borough of Haledon is hoping that less restrictive zoning will spur a new wave of development and economic activity along one of the city's commercial corridors.

Checking the 'Back-to-Work Barometer'
The back-to-work data everyone is talking about? It comes from a security company that offers swipe badges for entrance into office buildings all over the country. Some experts say their data is too incomplete to be authoritative, however.

Vision Zero Cities Journal 2022: Traffic Safety Guidance for a Safer Future
The Vision Zero Cities Journal provides information on traffic safety innovations and the global movement toward Vision Zero.

OPEC Plus Decision to Reduce Oil Output Could Lead to Global Recession
A decision earlier this month by a group of the world's largest oil exporters to drastically reduce oil production to stem the decline in oil prices could be a ‘tipping point’ for a global recession, says the International Energy Agency.

Cities Rethinking the Value of Parking
The effort to reclaim public and private spaces from car storage had some setbacks since the days of al fresco and open streets in the first years of Covid-19. But widespread parking reforms and new evidence shows the public is rethinking parking.

Hurricane Ian Puts Renewed Focus on Florida's Barrier Islands
Ian did not impact Southeast Florida, but coastal residents there took notice of the state's deadliest hurricane since 1935 that devastated much of Southwest Florida last month, particularly the barrier islands off the Gulf Coast.

How Remote Work is Changing the Playing Field for Workers With Disabilities
The more widespread acceptance of working from home is helping millions of Americans with disabilities get back into the workforce and find better job opportunities.

Placemaking: Building on the ‘Soul’ of a Place
Placemaking is often mistaken for a form of manufacturing. Every place already has a story to tell—placemaking just brings that story forward.

Two New Clean Energy Programs Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Unveiled
The U.S. Department of Energy announced two new programs last month that are funded by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $7 billion to create regional ‘hydrogen hubs’ and $4.9 billion to ‘manage and store carbon pollution.’

Ian's Test
One of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the mainland United States in decades will be a major test for a governor with presidential aspirations as well as his constituents in the nation's third most populous state.
Pagination
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