Urban Planning
16 articles
What is Local Historic Designation and Why Does It Matter?
National Register Historic Districts, despite their prestigious title, provide no protections from demolition or inappropriate development by private property owners.
Santa Monica's Tourism Boom Threatens Neighborhoods, But a Solution Exists.
Despite generating an estimated $917 million in annual spending for its local economy, Santa Monica faces a projected structural General Fund operating deficit of $29.
What are Community Land Trusts and why do they matter for affordable housing?
More than 350,000 affordable rental homes could vanish by 2030, a looming crisis projected by Grounded Solutions that threatens to displace countless families and destabilize urban neighborhoods.
What Is Zoning and How Does It Shape Neighborhood Development?
In San Francisco, zoning laws once dictated that only members of the immediate family one generation out could live together, with the sole exception of live-in servants.
Neighborhoods Can't Balance History and Modernity Without Comprehensive Plans
In Excelsior, Minnesota, a proposal to redevelop the historic Dock Cinema property has sparked a heated debate, not over whether to preserve history, but over how much of it can be sacrificed for futu
Chicago Housing Authority Fails Residents on Safe Housing Access
Nearly 400 Chicago Housing Authority households are trapped on waitlists to move, with 150 requests labeled as emergencies, while 18% of the agency's units sit vacant and uninhabitable, according to W
Remote work's 'donut effect' empties city cores, boosting local growth
Even rural areas that shrank in population between 2010 and 2019 are now growing.
What is the aging population impact on neighborhood services by 2050?
By 2050, the number of people aged 80 and over in the WHO European Region is expected to more than double, fundamentally reshaping local communities and their service demands.
How to Choose a Neighborhood: Financial Stability and Hidden Costs
In some predominantly Black neighborhoods, residents may pay significantly higher auto insurance premiums than those in predominantly white areas, even if their driving records are identical, accordin
How Local Government Funding Structures Impact Public Health
The way your county government is structured can literally determine how long you live, with centralized spending linked to less variation in midlife mortality across neighborhoods.
What Is the Role of Neighborhood Associations in Community Development?
Average community event meeting attendance and engagement have dropped in recent years, signaling a quiet crisis for local civic life.
Short-term rental regulations: Housing affordability challenges
In Cape Town, a staggering 70% of downtown housing is reportedly used for tourists, according to The New York Times .
How Zoning Boards Shape Neighborhood Development and Property Values
In 36 states, rising zoning regulations are directly associated with an increase in real average home prices, often making housing less accessible for many.
Festival commercialization erodes community identity, exacerbates inequality.
In London's Brockwell Park, residents faced a stark reality: public access to their green space was restricted for 37 days, not the 28 days councils claimed, all thanks to commercial music festivals.
What Are the Benefits of Walkability in Urban Planning?
While a new park might seem like a simple amenity, it can quietly add millions to nearby commercial property values.
Local festivals 2026: Culture clashes with commercialism, threatening identity.
57 percent of year-round residents surveyed in one Massachusetts town actively avoid downtown during its popular summer festival.