Rebuilding Place in Urban Space

MARCH 21, 2024

A problem on Market East and in Philadelphia, they said, is the city government only contemplates the future in response to developers’ wishes. Plus they have a bias against development to begin with, think developers are monsters because they make profits, etc. Most economic development planners don't know the difference.

Economic Development 52

Economic Development Development Parks And Recreation Housing 52

Rebuilding Place in Urban Space

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Since 2003, when I was on the board of H Street Main Street, and advocating that the group create a housing growth strategy in its retail trade area, I suggested that the RFK parking lots, especially along Benning Road, should be converted to housing and mixed use development. Flickr photo by Ken Lund. Other areas too.)

Parks And Recreation 52

Parks And Recreation Development Economic Development Voting 52

Public Purpose - An Independent Advisory Company

JUNE 25, 2023

Such prosecutions were unheard-of before 2014. Turkeys, it seems, will always find it hard to vote for Christmas. Corruption was endemic, from the bribes demanded by traffic cops to the kickbacks needed to secure government contracts. The public put far more faith in civil society than in official institutions.

Public Sector 59

Public Sector Government Leadership Accountability 59

Rebuilding Place in Urban Space

JANUARY 22, 2025

This one is from February 2014. In textbooks on organizational psychology, behavior and development, there is an extended discussion of boundary spanning, where people have conflicting responsibilities to different groups with different priorities. Planning as boundary spanning and serving multiple masters. U Street NW.

Urban Planning 52

Urban Planning Elected Officials Housing Development 52

Rebuilding Place in Urban Space

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Main Street commercial district revitalization practice grew out of HP and a desire to save "old buildings" in the face of the development of shopping centers, chain retail, and broken microeconomies. Very soon into my writing, before the blog, a bunch of DC cultural institutions failed, so this became an ongoing topic.

Transportation 52

Transportation Parks And Recreation Economic Development Urban Planning 52

The Stoop (NYU Furman Center)

AUGUST 2, 2023

While restrictive zoning is not the only reason housing costs are high in the United States, it does play a major role in limiting housing development, especially in parts of the country with high paying jobs in fast-growing industries. For example, in the 2014 planning cycle, the statewide target for housing growth was one million units.

Housing 98

Housing Laws Regulations Development 98

Rebuilding Place in Urban Space

MARCH 30, 2024

Georgia introduced a new way to create transportation districts, then expected people to vote up or down in less than a year (" Failure of the transit-roads sales tax measure in Metro Atlanta ," 2012). Let alone vote on it. I wrote a bunch about failures of transit referenda in Tampa Bay and the State of Georgia in the 2010s.

Voting 52

Voting Campaign Elected Officials Housing 52