Community / Economic Development

Aerial Texas Hill Country at sunset, with an aerial view of a highway interchange and Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas.

Austin Interstate Expansion Plan Draws Opposition

A proposal to widen I-35 has drawn criticism from community members who want to see the city shift away from car-centric development.

September 15, 2021 - Texas Signal

Food Pantry

More Support Needed for Organizations Serving the Underserved

A new report details how policymakers and community leaders can improve California's efforts to advance an equitable recovery from COVID by supporting and empowering community-based organizations in underserved communities.

September 14, 2021 - ChangeLabSolutions

Chicago Three-Flats

Research Shows '15-Minute City' Not Enough to Guarantee Equity

A study of Chicago neighborhoods showed that access to urban amenities does not necessarily correlate with improved economic outcomes.

September 14, 2021 - Streetsblog Chicago

Gentrification

What We Really Mean When We Say Gentrification

The focus on gentrifying communities has, in many cases, eclipsed the similar problems facing more stagnant neighborhoods.

September 14, 2021 - Vox

Banc of California Stadium

Sports Stadiums as a Battleground for Affordable Housing

Thanks to new enforcement powers, California's Department of Housing and Community Development can now cite cities for failing to meet affordable housing requirements in stadium redevelopment projects.

September 13, 2021 - CALmatters

Houston Townhouse

Racial Bias Still Rampant in the Mortgage Industry

New research that controls for financial factors the industry said would explain disparities shows that race still plays a major role in loan decisions.

September 13, 2021 - The Markup

A sign on a door says proof of vaccine is required to enter.

Biden Orders Large Employers to Require Vaccination or COVID Testing

President Biden announced a multi-prong strategy to combat the Delta surge gripping the nation that rests largely on increasing the vaccination rate among the labor force. The most controversial measure is aimed at private employers of 100+ workers.

September 13, 2021 - The New York Times

Corner Store

Healthy Corner Stores Fight 'Retail Redlining'

Small entrepreneurs are working to combat 'food deserts' by bringing fresh, healthy foods to communities lacking access to major grocery stores. But price continues to be a major factor in people's food choices.

September 13, 2021 - The Guardian

Arlington Cemetery Station

TOD Plans Take Shape in Prince George's County

The historically car-dependent county is hoping the planned revitalization of the Blue Line Corridor will boost the local economy and help maintain affordable housing.

September 13, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

Coachella Valley

A Stark Picture of the Climate Gap in the Coachella Valley

In the low desert of Southern California, dwindling water supplies and a lack of infrastructure funding pose major challenges for working-class communities struggling to survive.

September 12, 2021 - ProPublica

Playground

Schoolyards as a Solution for Park-Poor Cities

Opening schoolyards to the public could be 'game-changing' for communities lacking in green space.

September 12, 2021 - The Trust for Public Land

A Black LIves Matter Protest, with a protestor holding up a sign that reads "Open Your Eyes: Systemic Racism Is Real"

Plan Would Add Thousands of New Black, Latino Homeowners in Milwaukee

A new plan to add 18,000 affordable housing units in Milwaukee is the latest in a string of efforts by the city to ensure housing affordability to all income levels and address the racial homeownership gap in the city.

September 10, 2021 - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

St. Paul Minnesota

St. Paul Voters Could Pass the Nation's Strictest Rent Stabilization Ordinance

The extremely strict proposal would eliminate sharp rent increases, but could stifle housing construction and worsen the city's housing crisis.

September 10, 2021 - Minneapolis Post

A map of the planned West I-526 Lowcountry Corridor project in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Planned Highway Expansion Would Cut Into Black Community in Charleston

The Biden administration's efforts to curb the tendency of highway expansions to cut into Black communities will be tested by the West I-526 Lowcountry Corridor plan in North Charleston, South Carolina.

September 9, 2021 - The Washington Post

Rendering of aerial view of Telosa city

Why Tech-Utopian City Plans Fail

Like others before him, e-commerce billionaire Marc Lore wants to build the ideal city from scratch. Urban experts don't have much faith in his chances.

September 9, 2021 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Public Meeting Speaker

The Consequences of Community Engagement

Long, onerous environmental review processes focused on public input can cause major delays and cost increases for infrastructure and transportation projects.

September 9, 2021 - Governing

For Rent

The Pandemic Effect: Landlord Edition

A new survey highlights the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on small landlords, who provide much of the nation's low-cost rental housing.

September 9, 2021 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Marijuana

Zoning Change to Create More Marijuana Business Opportunities in Chicago

By opening more of downtown Chicago to pot shops, the city hopes that more minority businesses owners can get in on the lucrative business of marijuana.

September 9, 2021 - The Chicago Tribune

Trailer Parks

Mobile Home Parks Becoming Unaffordable as Investors Buy Up Properties

Longtime residents of mobile home parks are seeing their land rents go up as corporate investors seek to increase profits, aided in part by federally-backed loans.

September 8, 2021 - NPR

Downtown Anchorage with the snow covered Chugach Mountains in the background.

An Ambitious Revitalization Agenda for Downtown Anchorage

A new mayoral administration in Anchorage has its sights set on a revitalized urban core, but one local researcher has suggestions for how to expand that vision.

September 8, 2021 - Sightline Institute

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.