A number of scholars and public policy analysts continue to research the ways in which members of the "creative class" are transforming cities and small towns around the United States. This 77-page paper by Ann Markusen and Anne Gadwa explores the possibilities of what they call "creative placemaking." For the purposes of this paper, creative placemaking is defined as the process by which...

In the ancient world, the king or a clutch of religious leaders had the final say of what was built in cities, and where it was built. Several millennia later, the situation is governed by a wide range of regulatory bodies and elected councils, and in some parts of the country, it is easier to start work on one's tax returns than taking on the valiant task of understanding local land use...

American Communities is the Information Center of HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD). Formerly the HOME Information Center, American Communities (AMCOM) has been expanded to serve as a resource for all CPD programs and initiatives, including the Community Development Block Grant program; HOME Investment Partnership; homeless and Special Needs Assistance Programs;...

While the search for closure and emotional healing continues for many New Yorkers and those who lost family in the tragic events that took place on September 11, 2001, the work of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation moves on in an attempt to coordinate long term planning for the World Trade Center. Established by Governor Pataki and then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the LMDC is a joint state-city...

American cities have undergone a robust period of renaissance and rejuvenation as of late, but not all cities have been able to partake in this process. This vexing topic is the subject of a May 2007 report authored by Jennifer S. Vey for The Brookings Institution. This particular 84-page report is primarily concerned with examining older industrial cities in the Northeast and the Midwest, and the...

As the number of miles logged on the US Interstate Highway System continued to increase dramatically over the past decade, many major metropolitan areas have seen traffic and commuting times grow rapidly. Certain cities, such as Atlanta (among others), are having particularly difficult coping with this problem, as they have little or no effective means of public transportation. To address these...