Long a symbol of urban decay, downtown Detroit is attracting residents and investment, though obstacles remain.
Though the hometown team lost the recent World Series, the event highlighted the progress that downtown Detroit has made attracting new businesses, residents and stores. More and more urban experts are starting to agree with the city's Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, about the arrival of a downtown renaissance, though most point out several major obstacles that remain in the way of a vibrant downtown.
"[Yet these] positive trends mean even the most optimistic visions for downtown Detroit no longer sound so far-fetched. Talking about downtown's future during the World Series, Kilpatrick vowed to make even the derelict Capitol Park district west of Woodward into a Greenwich Village-style enclave of lofts and shopping."
"A study released last week at the annual University of Michigan-Urban Land Institute Real Estate Forum in Detroit found that the new downtown residents are younger, better educated and wealthier than expected, with average household incomes of close to $60,000 a year."
FULL STORY: Detroit's future is looking brighter

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.

Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.

Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?
The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.
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.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research