Community / Economic Development

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.
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.

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.

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.

San Diego Approves Permanent Outdoor Dining
The city's new regulations pave the way for making the pandemic experiment a permanent fixture.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Chicago Grants Support Equitable Transit-Oriented Development
The eTOD program centers equity as a consideration for new projects.

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.

Monitoring the Effects of the Pandemic on Metros and Cities
Eugénie Birch discusses cities' and metros' recoveries from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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