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Metropolitan Institute

Planning for Urban Regeneration and Energy Investments: Issues of Conflict and Compatib... - 2 views

Abstract: EPA's RE-Powering America initiative, DOE's Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy programs and HUD's Sustainable Communities efforts all are directed toward altering energy usage and/or gene...

EPA RE-Powering America Initiative DOE Efficiency Renewable HUD's Sustainable Communities renewable energy generation locally undesirable land uses (LULU) National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals Peter Meyer 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"Using Land Inventories to Plan for Urban Agriculture."_Many Authors [journal article] - 2 views

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    Mendes, Wendy, Kevin Balmer Terra Kaethler, & Amanda Rhoads. (2008). "Using Land Inventories to Plan for Urban Agriculture." Journal of the American Planning Association. 74 (4), 435-450. Abstract: "Problem: Urban agriculture has potential to make cities more socially and ecologically sustainable, but planners have not had effective policy levers to encourage this. Purpose: We aim to learn how to use land inventories to identify city land with the potential for urban agriculture in order to plan for more sustainable communities by answering two questions: Do land inventories enable integration of urban agriculture into planning and policymaking? Do land inventories advance both ecological and social dimensions of local sustainability agendas? Methods: We use case studies of two Pacific Northwest cities (Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia), comparing the municipal land inventories they undertook to identify public lands with potential for urban agriculture. We study how they were initiated and carried out, as well as their respective scopes, scales, and outcomes. Results and conclusions: We find that the Portland inventory both enabled integration of urban agriculture into planning and policymaking and advanced social and ecological sustainability. In Vancouver similar integration was achieved, but the smaller scope of the effort meant it did little for public involvement and social sustainability. Takeaway for practice: Other local governments considering the use of a land inventory should contemplate: (a) using the inventory process itself as a way to increase institutional awareness and political support for urban agriculture; (b) aligning urban agriculture with related sustainability goals; (c) ensuring public involvement by creating participatory mechanisms in the design and implementation of the inventory; (d) drawing on the expertise of institutional partners including universities. Research support: The Centre for Urban Health Initiativ
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Metropolitan Institute

"Errors Expected - Aligning Urban Strategy with Demographic Uncertainty in Shrinking Ci... - 1 views

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    Wiechmann, Thorsten (2008). Errors Expected - Aligning Urban Strategy with Demographic Uncertainty in Shrinking Cities. International Planning Studies, 13(4), 431-446. Abstract: "At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of Europe's cities experienced a population decrease. Dealing with the results of demographic, economic and physical contraction processes and planning for the future of considerably smaller but nevertheless livable cities presents some of the most challenging tasks for urban Europe in the near future. This article highlights the example of Dresden in Eastern Germany, where the breakdown of the state-directed economy caused economic decline, industrial regression, and high unemployment rates. Due to out migration and decreasing birth rates, the city lost 60,000 of its 500,000 residents within one decade. As a consequence, there were housing and office vacancies as well as infrastructure oversupplies. Yet the administrative system was still directed towards growth objectives throughout the 1990s. Only after 2000 this situation changed dramatically. The new strategic plan for Dresden is no longer growth oriented. Instead, it focuses on a model of the compact 'European city', with an attractive urban centre, reduced land consumption, and a stable population. However, in another unexpected turn of events, within the last seven years the city has experienced an unexpected growth of 25,000 residents. Surprisingly, processes of suburbanization have turned into processes of reurbanization. Today in Dresden, areas of shrinkage and decline are in close proximity to prospering and wealthy communities. The strategic challenge is to deal with this patchwork while accepting that the future remains unpredictable. Hence, strategic flexibility becomes more important than the strategy itself. To a certain extent rational analysis and error prevention is displaced by preparedness, robustness, and resilience as key qualifications of planning in shrinking c
Metropolitan Institute

"Philadelphia's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative: A Case Study of Mayoral Leaders... - 0 views

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    McGovern, Stephen J (2006). "Philadelphia's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative: A Case Study of Mayoral Leadership, Bold Planning and Conflict." Housing Policy Debate. 17(3), 529-570. Abstract: "This article examines the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI), Mayor John F. Street's plan to revitalize Philadelphia's distressed neighborhoods by issuing $295 million in bonds to finance the acquisition of property, the demolition of derelict buildings, and the assembling of large tracts of land for housing redevelopment. Despite its resemblance to the discredited urban renewal programs of the past, this plan offered real potential for reducing blight by leveraging substantial private investment at a time when public subsidies for affordable housing and community development have been steadily diminishing. However, NTI did not promote equitable development that might have fostered broader support for an inherently controversial plan. Moreover, Street's initial leadership in proposing this bold initiative was followed by a reluctance to promote NTI aggressively after it was adopted in 2002. The result was a watered‐down effort that achieved some goals but has fallen short of what might have been accomplished."
Metropolitan Institute

Urban Shrinkage and City Responses: How New Bedford, Massachusetts Physically Changed F... - 3 views

Abstract: Economic decline associated with the current economic recession has hit many places hard, but few have seen a whole shift in its physical form as New Bedford. Once the whaling capital of ...

economics recession New Bedford MA case studies local government policy urban planning Justin Hollander 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"Save that House! An Examination of Demolition Ordinance." _Many Authors [conference pa... - 0 views

Nasar, Jack, Victoria Morckel, and Jennifer Cowley.  “Save that House! An Examination of Demolition Ordinance.”  Paper to be presented at the annual conference for the Assoc...

housing demolition ordinances case studies survey demolitions tax

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"Community Gardens as New Forms of Public Space." _Langegger [conference paper] - 0 views

Langegger, Sig. "Community Gardens as New Forms of Public Space." Paper to be presented at the annual conference for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Salt Lake City, Utah, Octob...

community gardens public spaces urban planning Denver CO case studies

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons from Baltimore. Housing Policy Debate."_Cohen [jo... - 0 views

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    Cohen, James R. (2001). "Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons from Baltimore. Housing Policy Debate." 12(3), 415-48. Abstract: "Population loss and economic decline have resulted in thousands of abandoned homes in major U.S. cities. Although abandoned homes are symptomatic of other problems, they also contribute to neighborhood decline and frustrate revitalization. This article provides an overview of the national scope of abandoned housing and profiles Baltimore's strategy for addressing this problem. Challenges in Baltimore's revitalization planning include the necessity of and financial requirements for a comprehensive approach and the difficulty of reaching consensus. Widespread property "flipping" hampers prevention. Efforts to acquire and demolish units are constrained by difficulties in tracking ownership, felons' ownership of derelict units, and a shortage of staffing to process takings. Challenges in rehabilitating and marketing row houses include the need for subsidies to make units affordable to the most likely buyers, the omnipresence of lead paint, and the lack of foreign immigration. The article proposes a more strategic approach to the city's revitalization planning." [Also view: Culhane, Dennis P., and Amy E. Hillier (2001). "Comment on 'Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons From Baltimore.'" Housing Policy Debate. 12(3), 449-55.]
Metropolitan Institute

The Possibilities of LIHTC Projects in a City with Long Term Population Loss: A Counter... - 2 views

In this paper, shrinking cities refer to cities that have experienced decades-long sustained population loss and, in the United States, those that continued to lose population through the 2000s. Of...

shrinking cities population loss LIHTC New Orleans blight federal policy urban planning Riekes Trivers Ian Ehrenfeucht Renia Ehrenfeucht 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

From Brown Liability to Green Opportunity: Reinventing Urban Landscapes - 2 views

Abstract: "Whether they are growing, shrinking, or just standing their ground, cities throughout the United States are looking for ways to reinvent and reinvigorate their urban landscapes. More and...

urban landscapes sustainability deindustrialization greening brownfields stakeholder involvement partnerships C. DeSousa 2010

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

Do Vacant Properties Kill Neighborhoods? An Agent-Based Simulation of Property Abandonment - 3 views

Abstract: "Buffalo is among the cities with the highest vacancy rates in the US. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of tax foreclosure properties at the City's tax auction (in rem) increased. By 200...

Buffalo case studies foreclosure population loss homeownership agent-based approach speculative investors homeowners REM properties Fillmore District Li Yin Robert Silverman 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

Will Natural Disasters Accelerate Neighborhood Decline? - 3 views

Abstract: Vacant and abandoned properties are not only an urban ill troubling shrinking industrial cities in the United States, they are also a problem facing many growing urban areas as new develo...

vacant properties natural disasters case studies Miami-Dade County Hurricane Andrew urban planning disaster recovery Yang Zhang 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

Evolution from Urban Renewal to Community Development: Implications for Shrinking Cities - 5 views

Farris, J. Terrence. "Evolution from Urban Renewal to Community Development- Implications for Shrinking Cities." Paper to be presented at the annual conference for the Association of Collegiate S...

urban redevelopment policy shrinking cities displacement renewal community development history planning 1949 Housing Act Terrence J. Farris 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"Seizing City Assets: Ten Steps to Urban Land Reform"_Brophy & Vey [online report] - 1 views

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    Brophy, Paul and Vey, Jennifer, 2002. "Seizing City Assets: Ten Steps to Urban Land Reform," The Brookings Institution, October 2002. http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2002/10metropolitanpolicy_brophy/brophyveyvacantsteps.pdf Introduction: "One of a city's greatest assets is its available land for development. Unfortunately, many cities have land and properties that are vacant, abandoned, or under-used, with few policies and regulations in place to convert these assets into valuable, revenue-generating sites. This brief outlines ten action steps that state and local governments can follow to facilitate the development of urban land and buildings. Compiling an inventory of vacant parcels, planning for the assembly and reuse of land, and working to eliminate the many legal and administrative barriers to acquisition and development are just some of the actions the authors recommend for creating a more transparent, efficient, and effective system for private-market land development. The brief will discuss these and other proposed steps, and will highlight examples of successful practices implemented in states and localities throughout the U.S."
Metropolitan Institute

"Comment on 'Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons From Baltimore.'"_Culhane & Hillier [... - 1 views

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    Culhane, Dennis P., and Amy E. Hillier (2001). "Comment on 'Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons From Baltimore.'" Housing Policy Debate. 12(3), 449-55. Abstract: "For most cities, the possibility of transforming unused property into community and city assets is as yet hypothetical. Fiscal constraints limit the amount of land acquisition, relocation, and demolition that cities can undertake. Private investors, unsure of which neighborhoods have a chance of becoming self‐sustaining, are reluctant to take risks in untested markets. Cities need to create citywide planning strategies for land aggregation and neighborhood stabilization and to develop analyses of the risks and opportunities associated with redevelopment opportunities in specific markets. Research seems sorely needed. Although the policy world cannot and will not stand still waiting for academics to design the perfect study or to collect all the data to model the potential effects of various policy options and investments, analysis that can play a more immediately supportive role can and should be done now." Also view: Cohen, James R. (2001). "Abandoned Housing: Exploring Lessons from Baltimore." Housing Policy Debate. 12(3), 415-48
Metropolitan Institute

"Brownfield Development: A Comparison of North American and British Approaches"_ Many A... - 1 views

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    Adams, D., De Sousa, C. and S. Tiesdell. 2010. "Brownfield Development: A Comparison of North American and British Approaches." Urban Studies 47(1): 75-104. "Over the past 30-40 years, urban change and deindustrialisation in advanced economies have created a legacy of vacant and derelict land that is increasingly seen as a development opportunity rather than planning problem. This paper investigates how the shared challenge of bringing such brownfield sites back into productive use has been interpreted differently in four countries: the US, Canada, Scotland and England. In each case, the particular policy environment has shaped the brownfield debate in distinctive ways, producing a different set of relations between the public and private sectors in brownfield redevelopment. Through this detailed comparison of the North American and British experience, the paper traces the maturity of policy and seeks to discover whether the main differences in understanding and tackling brownfield land can be attributed primarily to physical, cultural or institutional factors."
Metropolitan Institute

"Revitalizing Urban Neighborhoods."_Keating, Krumholz, and Star, eds. [book] - 0 views

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    Keating, W. Dennis, Norman Krumholz, and Philip Star (eds.). Revitalizing Urban Neighborhoods. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1996 This "analysis of urban neighborhoods in the United States from 1960 to 1995 presents fifteen original and thought-provoking essays by many of the leading scholars of urban planning and development. Together they show how urban neighborhoods can and must be preserved as economic, cultural, and political centers. In this unique resource, the authors examine the growth and evolution of urban neighborhoods; illustrate what approaches have and haven't worked in a number of U.S. cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Boston, and Minneapolis; investigate the expansion and widespread successes of Community Development Corporations in neighborhoods around the country; provide a comprehensive analysis of federal policies; and discuss the prospects of urban neighborhoods from a realistic perspective."
Metropolitan Institute

"A GIS-based decision support system for brownfield redevelopment."_Thomas [article] - 2 views

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    Thomas, Michael R. "A GIS-based decision support system for brownfield redevelopment." Landscape and Urban Planning 58, 1 (2002): 7-23. "To evaluate land use options with respect to brownfields inventory, characterization, and potential for redevelopment, both government and private decision makers need access to information regarding land capability; development incentives; public goals, interests, and preferences; and environmental concerns such as site contamination and environmental quality. This article discusses a decision support system that provides access to state, regional, and local geospatial databases, several informational and visualization tools, and assumptions useful in providing a better understanding of issues, options, and alternatives in redeveloping brownfields. The resultant decision support system is augmented by a unique geographic information systems-based land use modeling application as an integrated expert system." (from abstract)
Metropolitan Institute

To be Abandoned, or to be Greened - 3 views

Abstract: Many cities around the country combat increases in abandoned properties, as these properties often become an eyesore in urban landscape. In particular, old industrial cities where a large...

community gardens public-private partnerships tax incentives case studies Philadelphia discrete choice model Neighborhood Information System NIS urban greening In Kwon Park Patricia Ciorci 2011

started by Metropolitan Institute on 04 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
Metropolitan Institute

"New Approaches to Comprehensive Neighborhood Change: Replicating and Adapting LISC's B... - 1 views

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    Walker, Chris, Sarah Rankin, and Francisca Winston. "New Approaches to Comprehensive Neighborhood Change: Replicating and Adapting LISC's Building Sustainable Communities Program." New York, NY: LISC, 2010. In 2006, LISC issued in-house requests for proposals to select 10 cities to participate in the Building Sustainable Communities program, a national expansion of its comprehensive approach to community development, which it had piloted in Chicago through the New Communities Program (NCP). Adopting the core elements of comprehensive community development in a varied set of cities would further test the ability of the approach to offer transferrable lessons for LISC and the field as a whole. This report by LISC's Research and Assessment team is the first installment of a long-term assessment of how the NCP platform has been replicated in the first 10 demonstration cities of the Sustainable Communities program. The authors conclude that a large majority of the 38 neighborhoods involved in Sustainable Communities are replicating the NCP model, based on examining the following elements: * Target neighborhoods and their challenges * Supportive and effective community leadership * Quality-of-life planning and comprehensive programs * Intermediation and systemic support "Some sites are blessed with ample foundation support for neighborhood development; others less so. In some neighborhoods, leadership is highly concentrated in one of two organizations that work well together; in others, leadership is diffuse and fractious. Nevertheless, the approach has proven adaptable enough to work well across different neighborhoods in Chicago. Can it be adapted to different neighborhood and city contexts simultaneously?" The report's findings are based on the LISC research staff's review of program documents, neighborhood-level statistics, and reports from LISC staff members and technical assistance consultants.
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