Michigan

Detroit - Renaissance Center

White Population Shifting Decades-Long Trends in Cities

The Census has confirmed what many trend stories and liberals have been saying for a while now—white people are moving back to cities.

September 25, 2015 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Shepard Fairey

Street Artist Shepard Fairey Tackles Detroit

After billionaire landlord Dan Gilbert commissioned a mural, less-legal works in Fairey's style began showing up around the city. Detroit's case against the artist brings gentrification's ironies into focus.

September 22, 2015 - CityLab

Changes to Detroit's Foreclosure Auctions Disempower Homeowners and Tenants

A new law makes it impossible for property owners delinquent on their property taxes to bid in a foreclosure auction to keep their homes. Larger, commercial interests are benefitting from the change.

September 21, 2015 - CityLab

Surveying the Adaptive Reuse of Detroit

Although it's a favorite tool of urbanists all over the country—Detroit has taken to adaptive reuse with singular aplomb.

September 16, 2015 - Urban Land Magazine

Details of Detroit's New Parking System

Parts of Detroit recently upgraded to parking kiosks that enable technologically-enhanced parking enforcement. A few weeks after enforcement began, the Detroit Free Press offers tips for navigating the new system.

September 14, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit

Dan Gilbert's Detroit Buying Spree Continues

The Quicken Loans founder and real estate mogul now controls 78 downtown properties. His investment choices can set the tone for life in what used to be an abandoned city center.

September 13, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

MAP-21 Regulations—From 2012—Delay Detroit Streetcar Opening

Detroit's M-1 Rail, under construction since 2014, has bumped back its project delivery date. Blame for the delay is assigned to weather, streetcar delivery delays, and the roll out of a federal transportation law from 2012.

August 6, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Buses Win Big in Kalamazoo Millage Tax Measure

Residents in the Kalamazoo, MI area voted on Tuesday to maintain and expand bus service by passing a 0.75-mill tax. They can expect more frequent and late night service to be provided by the new Central County Transportation Authority.

August 6, 2015 - Mlive.com

One Bridge on the Way, Another Still Possible on U.S.-Canada Border

With a request for qualifications for a new bridge, connecting Detroit with Windsor, Canada, and a proposal for another bridge on the table, it'a bridge building time on the U.S.-Canadian border.

July 29, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Michigan House Stops Short of Gas Tax Hike Plan

The legislature came very close to approving a plan this session to pay for crumbling roads, but the haul in the Republican-controlled House proved too difficult—they adjourned without voting on the Senate plan that passed 20-19 on July 1.

July 22, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Wild Detroit

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.

July 6, 2015 - The Detroit News

Bills to Hike Michigan Gas Tax by 15 Cents Squeak Through State Senate

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley broke a tie vote in the state Senate on July 1 to pass a 15-cent gas tax increase over three years to raise $1.5 billion. In May, voters rejected a sales tax increase that would have triggered a gas tax increase.

July 5, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Atlanta Region Developing More Walkable Urban Places

The Atlanta metropolitan area is bucking the trends established by its recent history of sprawling development by building a majority of its new developments as walkable urban places.

June 26, 2015 - ATL Urbanist

Detroit's M-1 Rail Line Credited for Delivering Investment—A Year Before Opening

The 3.3-mile M-1 Rail line in Detroit has been described as a boondoggle of unparalleled proportions. Boosters of the project, however, have gathering evidence of investment in neighborhoods along the route.

June 24, 2015 - The Detroit News

Ahead of Schedule: Detroit Wrapping Up Installation of 40,000 LED Streetlights

In perhaps the brightest sign yet of recovery, the Detroit Public Lighting Authority has made incredible progress on a project to install 40,000 LED streetlights around the city's residential neighborhoods.

June 16, 2015 - The Detroit News

Michigan House Road Funding Plan B Would Rob Peter to Pay Paul

Now that voters have decisively rejected a sales tax measure that would have also hiked the gas tax, House representatives have proposed eliminating the state's Earned Income Tax Credit that benefits the working poor to help pay for roads.

June 15, 2015 - Record-Eagle

Detroit's Vacant Properties Strategy Explained

The Detroit Free Press offers clear analysis of the multiple ongoing efforts in Detroit to improve vacant and blighted properties and return them to the benefit of the city's neighborhoods and residents.

June 10, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

Should Young Artists Move to Detroit?

Two University of North Carolina School of the Arts students spend a month investigating the artistic climate of Detroit and whether it's a place where young theater artists should move.

June 8, 2015 - Investigate Detroit

City Planners

Students Answer the Big Question: 'What Is Planning?'

Urban planning is taken for granted. Urban planning is misunderstood. Urban planning is overlooked. Urban planning is, wait … what is urban planning? Students from the University of Michigan explain.

May 29, 2015 - The Michigan Daily

On the Ground in the Effort to Save Detroit's Neighborhoods

As Detroit's efforts to stabilize its neighborhoods progress, valuable lessons and trends are emerging. One particularly bright spot was recently revealed: fewer homes are in need of demolition than originally thought.

May 26, 2015 - Next Ciy

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.