Great Recession
Report: Cities Continue Modest Fiscal Improvements
The 30th edition of an annual report from the National League of Cities shows reasons to be optimistic about the fiscal condition of cities—though the arm of the Great Recession is proving to be long.
The Katrina Cottage Legacy
The New Urbanist Katrina Cottages initiative for the Gulf Coast appeared to be a failure but their legacy lives on in the SmartDwellings and in the Tiny House movement.
Why the McMansion Isn't Really Back
Joe Cortright criticizes reports linking high median new home sizes to a renewed demand for McMansions. The market for single-family homes, he argues, locks out buyers of modest means. Only the well-off are buying.
Homebuyers Return to the Exurbs
It's been a while since 2008, and a new crop of homeowners is colonizing the far-flung exurbs. Mostly foreclosed and even abandoned last time around, the exurbs are still a risky buy.
Learning from the Las Vegas Recovery
The recovery of Las Vegas, hit hard by the Great Recession, resembles the recovery of the rest of the country—uneven and innovative.
How Risky Lending Hollowed Out Detroit
Over one half of Detroit's foreclosed homes are blighted or abandoned. Buyers who purchased the homes for as little as $1 have little incentive to keep them in good shape—or pay taxes.
The Tragedy of San Bernardino
The focal point of California's vast Inland Empire, the suburban city of San Bernardino was brought to its knees by the Great Recession. Its civic bankruptcy and its emergence as a suburban slum is perhaps America's most tragic story of urban sprawl.
People Still Want Buses, But Buses Aren't Delivering
Urban light rail has enjoyed a renaissance since the Great Recession, but during the same period cities have quietly reduced bus service. Daniel Hertz argues that while rail is commendable, buses remain a vital transit component.
No More Hidden Gems Thanks to Investor-Centric Real Estate
Although large investors made only 4.3 percent of single-family home purchases in 2014, they may be reducing the competitiveness of traditional buyers. With ready cash and sophisticated algorithms, investors get there first and make better bids.
Why Is Minneapolis Growing Faster Than Chicago?
The data shows Minneapolis recovered from the recession more quickly than Chicago. And its growth rates continue to surpass those of its larger neighbor. Why did this happen, and which policies deserve credit?
Recession Success Story: Walkable Commercial Areas
New data show the resilience of walkable commercial areas through the recent recession. Parking minimums, however, prevent new projects from taking advantage of the strengths of such development patterns.
Suburbs Come Roaring Back
For nearly a decade, the narrative of the move back to the city has held sway in American life. But newly analyzed Census data indicate that the presumed death of the suburbs may have been premature.
Report: Which American Cities Are the Most Unequal
According to Brookings, this research is intended to inform local debates over the minimum wage. Drawing on Census data, the report finds that astronomical income gains are still concentrated among the biggest cities.
Economic Recovery Harder to Find at the County Level
You've probably read the news that the country has recovered all the jobs lost in the Great Recession. A new report that analyzes four measures of economic health at the county level reveals a much bleaker picture of the economic recovery.
Sunshine State Overtakes Empire State as Third Most Populous State
William H. Frey, Brookings Institution demographer, writes on the latest Census Bureau demographic data. California and Texas remain number one and two respectively. New York had 19.7 million residents on July 1, 2014, Florida 19.9 million people.
Cities Dominating the Economic Recovery
The affordability crisis and congestion are just two of the signs of the dominance of cities in the economic recovery, according to an article in the Washington Post. In fact, outside of cities, it doesn't look much like a recovery at all.
Do Zombie Subdivisions Have a Future?
Alana Semuels writes about the state of the zombie subdivisions scattered around the western United States—a derelict reminder of the high water mark of the last master planned community building boom.
Pew Study: U.S. Cities Still Recovering from Recession
A new Pew Charitable Trusts report discusses the ongoing recovery of American cities from the 2008 Great Recession, more than five years after it officially ended.
Housing Affordability Follows Partisan Divide
Recent analysis by Trulia found that the current housing market shows trends that follow along conservative and liberal lines—specifically, that the country's "blue" states are much more expensive than the "red" states.
Employment Growth in Large, Dense Cities Paces Recovery
A study from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis finds evidence that large, dense metropolitan areas have experienced the most complete recovery following the Great Recession.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
