Last week, local officials announced that the troubled city's largest employers, including three hospitals and a university, will begin offering incentives to lure workers into buying homes in the area. Geoff Mulvihill reports.
"The assistance is relatively modest compared to what's available in some cities, but it does represent a new kind of boosterism for Camden. Instead of simply pining for changes that would lure a middle class back, city leaders are actively recruiting.
"We have a lot to be proud of and we need to talk about it in order to move Camden up on the list of desirable places to live," said David Foster, president of Cooper's Ferry Partnership, a planning and redevelopment agency.
Some of the attractions: being in a city with an array of public transportation making for easy access across the Delaware River to Philadelphia; low housing costs and property taxes -- at least by New Jersey standards; quick access to concerts at the city's Susquehanna Center."
FULL STORY: Camden's housing incentives aim at middle class
Choice Neighborhood Planning Grants Announced for 5 U.S. Cities
A federal grant program designed to support holistic and socially-focused planning projects at the neighborhood level has announced the winners of its most recent round of competitive grant funding.
FYI about GSI: The Recipe for Green Stormwater Infrastructure Success
New research highlights some of the ways planners can increase the social benefits and public acceptance of green stormwater infrastructure.
Looking to the Skyscraper: Two High-Rises Proposed for Camden Waterfront
Camden, New Jersey, is not known for its skyscrapers, but that could change if the development of a site just south of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge is approved.
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?
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
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.
San Diego Swaps Parking Lane for Kid-Friendly Mini Park
The block-long greenway will feature interactive play equipment and landscaping.
Tracking the Invisible: Methane Leaks From LA’s Neighborhood Oil Sites
Environmental advocates are using infrared technology to monitor and document methane leaks from neighborhood oil sites, filling regulatory gaps and pushing for stronger protections to safeguard community health and the climate.
Montana Bill Promotes Parking Reform
A bill before the Montana state senate would bar cities from requiring more than one parking spot per new housing unit.
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.
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
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