Community / Economic Development

Carmel, Indiana street

Americans Continue to Move to Smaller Cities

Cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 continue to see an influx of migrants lured by lower costs of living and high quality-of-life metrics.

November 9, 2021 - Governing

Street scene in downtown College Park, Maryland

Reparations Program Underway in Maryland's College Park

The city of College Park will weigh recommendations from a newly formed Restorative Justice Steering Committee aimed at acknowledging and mitigating the damage to Black communities caused by urban renewal policies.

November 8, 2021 - The Washington Post

Rendering of Commongrounds Cooperative building

Mixed-Use Co-Op Demonstrates a New Ownership Model

Owned by its tenants and local community members, Traverse City's Commongrounds Cooperative will feature a craft distillery, a food hall, and a childcare facility, among other amenities.

November 8, 2021 - NextCity

A public plaza along a main street in downtown Wheaton, Illinois.

Suburban Revival: How the 21st Century will Redefine Life Outside the City

America’s suburbs are increasingly diversifying, expanding, and evolving as COVID-19 and new economic realities shape behavior. New stories are unfolding in these suburban places as they change and grow. Is it time for a suburban revival?

November 7, 2021 - Chris Freda

Cherry Creek

Voters, Judge Block Expansion of Denver's Anti-Homeless Camping Ban

Denver voters this week rejected Initiated Ordinance 303, written by chairman of the Denver Republican Party, which would have expanded the city's controversial camping ban.

November 5, 2021 - The Denver Post

Sustainability Leadership and ESG Commitments

Lendlease’s new head of sustainability in the Americas, Sara Neff, describes the advantages of the Australian company’s global integrated business model and leadership in sustainable buildings.

November 3, 2021 - The Planning Report

A row of white pickup trucks at a car dealership.

U.S. Auto Loan Debt Balloons to $1.4 Trillion, Study Says

Consumer Reports published findings of an investigation of U.S. auto loan debt, finding that debt is increasing at increasingly fast rates alongside the cost of cars over the past decade.

November 3, 2021 - Consumer Reports

A restaurant in Singapore places tape on seats to maintain distance between diners during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Pandemic Geography: What's Going on in Singapore?

With 82% of its population fully vaccinated, mostly with mRNA vaccines, COVID case incidence on Nov. 1 is the same as Wyoming, where 44% of the population is fully vaccinated. Hospitals are feeling the strain, and deaths are at their highest level.

November 2, 2021 - Reuters

Outdoor cafes in Old Town, San Diego

San Diego Approves Permanent Outdoor Dining

The city's new regulations pave the way for making the pandemic experiment a permanent fixture.

November 1, 2021 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Toronto Waterfront

The Four Design Teams Shortlisted for Quayside Redevelopment

After Alphabet-owned Sidewalk Labs dropped the project, Toronto is evaluating other proposals for redeveloping their waterfront.

November 1, 2021 - The Toronto Star

Midwest Flooding

Rural Areas Left Behind in Climate Adaptation Plans

While resources pour in for urban climate resilience projects, smaller communities often bear the brunt of extreme weather events.

October 29, 2021 - The Architect's Newspaper

Pittsburgh

Port Authority Study Calls For More Equitable TOD in Pittsburgh

A study by the Port Authority of Allegheny County warns against displacement of low-income residents and calls for an increased focus on equity in developments around transit stations.

October 28, 2021 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Austin

Can Better Transit Get Austinites Out of Cars?

The city's ambitious transit plan will bring light rail and bus connections to more areas of the city.

October 28, 2021 - Reuters

Chicago Street

Chicago Grants Support Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

The eTOD program centers equity as a consideration for new projects.

October 27, 2021 - WBEZ

17th Street, Denver, Colorado

Improving Housing Through Trauma-Informed Design

A growing awareness of the link between the built environment and mental health has led some designers to examine the ways we can make housing feel more safe and welcoming for vulnerable populations.

October 27, 2021 - NextCity

Coronavirus

Monitoring the Effects of the Pandemic on Metros and Cities

Eugénie Birch discusses cities' and metros' recoveries from the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 27, 2021 - Penn IUR Urban Link

New York Bus

What COVID Taught About Mobility Justice

Transit agencies are waking up to the inequities in transportation systems—highlighted by the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.

October 26, 2021 - Grist

Empty living room/dining room in an apartment in a 1920s apartment house, Los Angeles, California.

Spiking Rents Putting More People at Risk of Eviction

Housing costs across the country are becoming more and more unaffordable for low- and moderate-income households, a trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 26, 2021 - The New York Times

The exterior of the Civic Opera Building in Chicago, an art deco building built in the 1920s.

Signs of Financial Distress Among Office Properties

The foreclosure risk facing a pair of high-profile office buildings highlight the debt difficulties facing the office sector as it deals with the fallout of the pandemic. The trend could be on the verge of picking up steam.

October 26, 2021 - Cincinnati Business Courier

First-Time Buyers

Study: Half as Many Metro Areas Affordable to Low-Income Homebuyers in 2021 as in 2020

Over 13 million potential first-time homebuyers were priced out this year, putting homeownership out of reach for low-income households in most of the largest U.S. cities.

October 25, 2021 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.