Planners in Houston finally establish a municipal land-bank program for redevelopment, but find after years of delays, that the real estate market has changed.
"In the mid-1990s, when officials decided to establish a land-bank program in Houston, the Third Ward seemed an ideal laboratory for the city's newest experiment in urban redevelopment....The land bank would sell abandoned property to developers at below-market prices to promote construction of low- and moderate-income housing." The city finally established the Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority, which oversees the land bank program, but "finds itself at a disadvantage as it competes with Houston's freewheeling development tradition." Unlike the municipal land bank program in Dallas, the Houston program currently does not "have the authority to acquire tax-delinquent property before it becomes available to the public." In addition, the demand for property near downtown Houston "regardless of its condition, is rising."
Many people have raised concerns over the land bank concept. Some are skeptical, saying that that there is no need for city intervention if the market is already addressing the blighted area of the Third Ward on its own. On the other side of the spectrum, community groups are concerned that "there is always a risk that such programs will benefit private development interests rather than neighborhood residents."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: Land bank squeezed out of race for Houston property

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom
The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland