Community / Economic Development

United Kingdom

'Place-Healing': From Adaptation to Manifesto

Amid pandemic and protest, the need for urban mending has become abundantly clear, with responses that invoke the more ethereal elements of a physical place I like to call it "place-healing," a term that seems right for the times.

September 8, 2020 - Charles R. Wolfe

Car Traffic

How the Pandemic Has Magnified the Pre-Existing Housing Crisis

Declining rents won't be a silver lining in the post-pandemic housing crisis.

September 8, 2020 - Citymetric

Toomsboro, Georgia

The Freedom Georgia Initiative Buys 97 Acres to Build a New Black Community

Inspired by the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and a speech by rapper Killer Mike, a group of Black families is investing from the ground up in a new community that prioritizes the safety and financial empowerment of Black residents.

September 7, 2020 - Revolt

Chicago Bike Trail

More Cities Pressing Pause on Development as Gentrification, Displacement Concerns Persist

Chicago and Atlanta both approved development moratoriums in areas surrounding new urban amenities this year. Other cities could soon add to the number.

September 7, 2020 - The Washington Post

Coronavirus and Public Health

Designing Play Streets for Social Distancing

What happens to Play Streets when playing together is a danger?

September 3, 2020 - Next City

Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Community Opposition and a Rezoning Controversy in Philadelphia

The local councilmember is seeking a rezoning from commercial to residential in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, but local community members say the development will be priced out of their range.

September 3, 2020 - WHYY

Brooklyn Redevelopment

Opinion: How to Protect Cities From a Private Development 'Feeding Frenzy'

A New York city councilmember, trained in urban planning, presents ideas for protecting tenants and small businesses in the ongoing economic downturn.

September 3, 2020 - The New York Times

Southern California

How Regional Planning Can Be Antiracist

Under new board president Rex Richardson, the Southern California Association of Governments—the country's largest MPO—has pledged to combat racism through regional planning, including equitable housing development.

September 2, 2020 - California Planning & Development Report

New York City Coronavirus

The Media Can't Stop Talking About the End of Cities

The latest installment of Planetizen's ongoing effort to track the stories about the future of planning in a world forever changed by COVID-19 notices a recurring theme.

September 2, 2020 - James Brasuell

Allston Interchange

Imagining Alternatives to an Enlarged I-90 Viaduct in Boston

Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to heighten and widen the Allston section of I-90 viaduct do not align with the community's desire for an environmentally friendly and pedestrian- and cycling-oriented new solution.

August 31, 2020 - CommonWealth

Atlanta Skyline

Affordable Housing Bond Sale Proposal Under Review in Atlanta

A new proposal could lead to legislation that sweeps $100 million into Atlanta's housing market to build affordable housing and purchase key land for future development.

August 31, 2020 - Saporta Report

Urban Sky

How to Adopt Long-Term Anti-Racism Solutions as an Urbanist

Nic Esposito calls for an "anti-racist reframe" of urbanism to address the attitudes and policies that have perpetuated racist systems and upheld capitalism at all costs.

August 26, 2020 - WHYY

Masks for Public Health

Georgia Mask Ban Reversed After White House Coronavirus Task Force Issues Critical Report

Shortly after a private White House report blasted Georgia's pandemic response, Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order allowing cities and counties to impose requirements on mask-wearing. The report was leaked to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

August 24, 2020 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding

New Housing Fund Launched in New Orleans

A new housing relief fund has been launched in New Orleans to help low-income residents deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

August 24, 2020 - NOLA.com

New York City Homelessness

The Impacts of Repeated Closures on California Commercial Real Estate

Carl Muhlstein discusses the recent re-closure of California businesses and the subsequent impact on the regional real estate market.

August 21, 2020 - The Planning Report

Brutalism

Report Details Dire Fiscal Straits of Local Governments

The National League of Cities has produced a highly-anticipated report detailing the fiscal fallout of the sudden and swift economic downturn that followed the coronavirus to American shores.

August 20, 2020 - National League Of Cities

Sprawl

Another Grim Coronavirus Milestone: This Time in Southern California

COVID-19 deaths topped 5,000 in Los Angeles County last week as deaths continue to mount due to a hasty reopening after an early shutdown. The center of the of outbreak in California now shifts to the Central Valley.

August 19, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Bhaji Bazaar

Phoenix Reshapes Local Food Distribution System During Pandemic

As tons of local produce runs the risk of over-ripening and perishing in Phoenix, Local First Arizona Foundation develops an organization structure to collect, prepare, and distribute local food.

August 19, 2020 - Next City

Michigan Central Deport

Economic Recovery in Legacy Cities

Americans living in legacy cities face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several local, state, and federal support strategies could aid these cities in recouping losses.

August 19, 2020 - Brookings

Coronavirus

The Disconnect Between Virus Prevalence and Local Business Climate

Public health experts assert that to safely reopen the economy, the coronavirus needs to be contained. In Manhattan, where the virus is largely controlled, chain restaurants are closing while their sister stores in Florida are expanding.

August 18, 2020 - The New York Times

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.