Community / Economic Development

How Downtown Public Space Investments Impact Equity
Efforts to revitalize declining downtowns have, in some cases, become catalysts for supporting small, minority-owned, local businesses.

Norfolk's 'Missing Middle Pattern Book' Aims to Streamline Permitting for Multi-Family Housing
Acknowledging the region's dire need for more diverse housing stock, city leaders hope the pre-approved designs, along with necessary zoning reforms, will encourage more construction of 'missing middle housing.'

Mapping Informal Neighborhoods
New mapping tools are helping cities around the world map and understand their poorest communities.

Houston Plans New Downtown Bus-Only Lanes
The lull in commuter traffic during the pandemic gave Houston's transit agencies time to implement new projects and redesign downtown roads to better accommodate transit users.

Cincinnati Tenants Can Still Access Rental Assistance Funds
Organizations in the city are working to distribute remaining rental assistance to tenants and landlords.

Philadelphia Street Mural Aims to Slow Cars and Improve Pedestrian Safety
Part of a larger safety and beautification plan, the mural is designed to slow down drivers and bring a 'sense of hope' to the neighborhood.

California Lawmakers Debate Killing High Speed Rail Funding
The cost increases and delays on the Central Valley project have some state lawmakers wondering whether funds should go toward local transit systems instead.

Transforming Communities Through Soccer 'Mini-Pitches'
The U.S. Soccer Foundation and Target are partnering with schools, cities, and counties nationwide to create safe places for kids to play soccer and improve communities.

The California Dream is Becoming Less Achievable
Anti-growth forces have made it close to impossible for many young people and newcomers to gain the upward mobility that has defined the state's success.

Chicago's New Strategic Plan for Transportation Prioritizes Equity and Accountability
The plan calls for safer streets, more equitable distribution of resources, and expanded community engagement.

Does Highway Removal Make Cities Healthier?
Highway removal can improve the air quality and health of the immediate environment, but displacement and gentrification threaten to exclude former residents from the benefits.

In Extreme Heat Waves, Cities Need 'Social Resilience' to Help the Most Vulnerable
This summer's heat waves wreaked havoc on physical infrastructure, but also highlighted vulnerabilities in our social support systems.

Austin Selects Two Potential Sites for Sanctioned Encampments
The city plans to install temporary housing and facilities as part of its efforts to reduce homelessness and help people move into permanent housing.

Community Land Trusts: Combining Scale and Community Control
Pitting the straw men of scale and community control against one another does the field more harm than good.

Defining the 'Community' in Community Land Trusts
As community land trusts take root and expand, they face numerous questions on how to stay communally-focused while their geographic scope grows.

Millions of Tenants at Risk of Eviction, Billions in Rental Assistance Undelivered
What happens if the federal rental assistance money available to renters doesn’t make it to them before the moratorium expires? And how did the 2020 eviction predictions pan out?

Bay Area Workers are Moving Back
Many of the tech employees who left Silicon Valley during the pandemic are making their way back to the Bay Area–and so are higher rents.

An Oasis In The Desert
A redesign costing a mere $12 million transformed the main street of the desert city of Lancaster, Calif., from an ordinary retail strip to a genuine place. If Lancaster can do it, any city can.

New Fair Housing Rule Should Address Evictions
HUD's new fair housing rule crucially overlooks the role of evictions in perpetuating residential segregation.

Greater Boston Considers Relaxing ADU Rules as Housing Shortage Deepens
Cities in the region want to increase flexibility for homeowners who want to build 'granny flats' on their property.
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