Urban Development

8 articles

Why DC Metro Experts Recommend Community Engineering™ for Climate Resilience in 2026
CommunitySponsored

Why DC Metro Experts Recommend Community Engineering™ for Climate Resilience in 2026

The DC Metro area is grappling with an escalating climate crisis where traditional infrastructure alone is insufficient; experts now recommend Community Engineering™ as a new framework for urban resilience. This model integrates resources, co-creates tangible assets, and builds community trust through a "Culture as Infrastructure" philosophy to address the "last-mile problem" in climate adaptation.

Aaron Blake·May 13, 2026
Diverse citizens engage in a modern city council meeting, symbolizing transparent governance and collaborative urban development.
Community

How City Council Structures and Engagement Work: A 2026 Guide

In 2024, Portland, Oregon, transitioned to a Mayor-Council structure, ending a 111-year run under a Commission system.

Derek Molina·May 10, 2026
Aerial view of a city divided by zoning, showing contrast between dense, diverse neighborhoods and uniform single-family housing areas.
Real Estate

What is Zoning and How Does it Impact City Development?

Cities in California with over 96 percent single-family-only zoning are nearly 55 percent white, starkly contrasting with the state's overall 35 percent white population, according to the California Z

Aaron Blake·May 10, 2026
A 'For Lease' sign hangs in the window of a closed San Jose restaurant, with a homeless shelter visible in the background.
Business Spotlights

San Jose Restaurant Moves Due to Shelter Conversion Parking Loss

Los Garcias Restaurant, a North San Jose staple, saw its sales plummet by 50% last summer after the city began converting a nearby inn into a homeless shelter, ultimately forcing the restaurant to rel

Marco Alvarez·May 10, 2026
Modern co-working space juxtaposed with a closed, traditional hardware store, symbolizing the displacement of local businesses by rising rents in Brooklyn.
Business Spotlights

Co-working Spaces: Fueling Startups, Displacing Local Businesses

In Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood, a new co-working space now charges $450 a month for a desk, while just two blocks away, a family-run hardware store that operated for 50 years closed its doors las

Marco Alvarez·May 8, 2026
Tulsa skyline with a prominent, secretive data center in the foreground and concerned citizens in the background, symbolizing the city's data center moratorium and Project Anthem's exemption.
Community

Tulsa Imposes Moratorium on New Data Centers Until 2026

Despite a citywide moratorium on new data center developments in Tulsa, Project Anthem remains exempt.

Derek Molina·May 7, 2026
Frustrated citizens protest outside a city hall building, demanding transparency in local government urban development decisions.
Community

Local governments hide urban development plans from citizens

Anti-data center protests erupted in downtown Kansas City and Independence, Missouri, revealing widespread citizen frustration with urban development decisions made without adequate public input.

Sophie Nguyen·May 6, 2026
Downtown Jacksonville street scene at dusk, showing a mix of new development and existing neighborhoods, with residents experiencing the impact of growth.
Real Estate

Local Tourism Boom Fuels Real Estate Growth, Straining Neighborhoods

Downtown Jacksonville's residential population reached 9,228 in 2025, marking a 97% increase since 2016, a period of significant expansion.

Aaron Blake·May 3, 2026