Community / Economic Development
City Will Provide Basic Services To Slum Dwellers
The mayor of Cape Town, South Africa, has announced a plan to provide water, lighting, and sanitation to all of the city's densely-packed slum dwellers.
Neigborhood Takes Urban Revitalization Into Its Own Hands
Faced with neglect from the city, the residents of Southwest Detroit have successfully begun to revive their neighborhood on their own.
Cleveland Struggles To Turn Talk Into Action On Regionalism
Following up on a series from three years ago, the Cleveland Plain Dealer finds that much hopeful talk on the benefits of regional cooperation have yet to translate into actual reform.
Are Cities The Key To Success In The 21st Century?
Bruce Katz of The Brookings Institution argues that the health and vitality of cities will determine which nations will prosper in this century -- which he has dubbed the 'Urban Age'.
Playground-powered Water Supply
Alexander Trevi comments on playground equipment designed to provide local clean water supply in developing countries.
New Orleans Neighborhood Takes Recovery Into Its Own Hands
While lower-class neighborhoods struggle to recover, an active civic organization is using land speculation and market forces to rebuild a neighborhood in New Orleans.
Historic Rail Corridor Dilemma: Rails to Trails or Rails?
Rail buffs hope to run a tourist train on an unused rail line in the Sierra foothills outside of Sacramento, but there are concerns that it would prevent the corridor from being used as a recreational trail for hikers, bikers and equestrians.
UK To Sell Public Buildings For One Pound
Government officials in the UK have reveled a plan to sell off underutilized public buildings directly to communities for below-market prices, as low as one pound. They hope the sales will improve public services across the country.
How Do You Rebuild A Town?
The residents of Greensburg, Kansas can look to other communities resurrected from disaster for lessons of how to rebuild their town from scratch.
City Officials Bank On Riverfront Redevelopment
Officials in Knoxville, Tennessee, are looking to transform the city's industrial Tennessee Riverfront into the new place to be.
Good Planning Demands Patience
A recent editorial defends the City of Milwaukee's slow pace regarding the redevelopment of the Park East corridor -- a prime area of downtown real estate reclaimed from a demolished freeway spur.
Open Borders Give Spain An Economic Boost
With no restrictions on immigration, Spain is increasingly home to an immigrant-rich population. And while some feared the open policy would strain the country's public services, the economic benefit has far outweighed the cost in services.
The Larger They Come, The Harder They Fall
Preference for smart growth features are on the rise, while demand for large lot housing types falls.
Brooklyn's Downtown Jail To Reopen As Part of A Mixed Use Redevelopment
Brooklyn's House of Detention has long been an eyesore, but the red-hot housing market may change its setting into a lively place, with apartments, hotels or offices on both sides, and retail below. The market will help determine the uses.
Super-Sized Schools Are Getting a New Land Diet
Decision makers are realizing that large (and expensive to maintain) acreage requirements are making kids, and their parents, dependent on cars to shuttle them to and from school. Some states have already eliminated the minimums, and more want to.
Military Neighborhood Ranks High
The Charter Award-winning Ft. Belvoir neighborhood in Fairfax, VA offers a model for military base reconstruction and affordability.
Converting Trailer Park Housing To Home Ownership Opportunities
Manufactured-home communities, long vulnerable to displacement at the whim of park owners, are working with nonprofit partners to increase resident ownership of the land.
Governor Looks At Tax Solutions For Struggling Small Towns
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is pushing a plan to allow struggling communities to bring in more taxes from local businesses and to lower the amount of property taxes owners have to pay.
Is The 'Florida Panhandle International Airport' Coming?
A development company has agreed to donate 4,000 acres of land to create a large, international airport in the Florida Panhandle, a controversial move they hope will bring enough people and economic activity to support the houses they plan to build.
Why We Need Farmers Markets
As the number of farmers markets grows across the nation, Neal Peirce examines the health, social, and economic benefits farmers markets provide to communities.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
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
