Community Development
What Is Gentrification?
Gentrification is a process of neighborhood change, usually resulting from an influx of relatively wealthy, white residents to a neighborhood. But that definition, and the controversies that follow, vary greatly by location, and there is no universally accepted definition of the term.
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.
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.
Pittsburgh-to-Cleveland Corridor Would Be Major Addition to National Trail Network
The 220-mile route would connect the two cities and could potentially boost the economies of communities along the stretch.
A Better Way to Tackle Social and Economic Inequality
Building community wealth from the bottom up is a more effective way to turn struggling communities around.
The Key to Effective Neighborhood Development: Scale
Lots of great ideas, but few resources to back them up—the story in Detroit is probably familiar in cities all over the country.
Affordable Housing Finance: Show Me the Money
Ben Brown continues his weekly blog series in lead-up to the day-long exploration at CNU Savannah, "Affordability: The Intersection of Everything."
Detroit's Rebirth: Beyond the Headlines
John Gallagher takes a look at some of the civic factors and organizations that have worked behind the scenes to pull Detroit through.
Successfully Engaging With Underrepresented Communities for Comprehensive Plans
Community engagement is a powerful tool to guide investments toward the places we inhabit.
Art in the Face of Gentrification
Art and culture tend to be integral to helping disenfranchised communities self-identify, develop their identities, and organize around place-based issues. But its presence can also be used be used by real estate interests to market neighborhoods.
Using Big Data to Identify Problem Properties
In New York state, municipalities can apply to use a new tool that gathers property data and sifts for red flags. The intent is to identify potential blight before it sets in.
Achieving Community: Let's Get Real
The benefits of authentic community are extensive. Maybe even transcendent. But how do we get to that point? Scott Doyon's latest blog has a few thoughts.
East Los Angeles Community Groups Prove that Community Planning Matters
The landscape of community development in Los Angeles today differs vastly from even a few years ago. Two groups in East L.A. are developing solutions to accelerating gentrification and displacement and a compounding affordable housing crisis.
Horsey! Grassroots Public Art Connects People, Past, and Present
Never underestimate the power of whimsy in the built environment. A genuine and unconditional spirit of welcome and inclusion can be found in the most unexpected forms of participatory art.
Building Permanent Paths out of Poverty
One Tanzanian nonprofit is putting the focus on skill-building to fight poverty. David Lambert, an engineer with Arup, discusses the nonprofit's latest endeavor, a new vocational school near the town of Same.
To Bring Water to the Village, Teach Villagers About Water
In Nicaragua, villagers' access to freshwater resources is sometimes impeded by a gap in coordination between the self-governing indigenous communities present there. WaterAid worked with locals in one village to change just that.
Lessons learned in an earthquake's aftermath
The response to Ecuador's 7.8-magnitude earthquake went beyond just physically rebuilding the hardest hit cities
Los Angeles River Restoration Going From Grassroots to Glam
As excitement around the L.A. River revitalization heats up, neighbors of the once-neglected channel wonder who will benefit from the billion-dollar redevelopment.
California's Ambitious Transportation Projects Designed to Include Communities
Unprecedented transit build-out in California could transform the state. Now leaders are working to ensure the infrastructure connecting major cities also benefits the communities it touches along the way.
Lessons from Masterminds of Detroit's Rebirth
The enthusiasm of Detroit's new civic leadership, who engineered its bankruptcy and set up its recovery, is infectious. How the city will ultimately fare, and how other troubled cities learn from Detroit's mistakes, remains to be seen.
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
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
