• Failing golf communities not on par with neighborhoods

    When real estate switched from building mixed-use cities, towns, and neighborhoods, the industry adopted less sustainable selling points—like golf.
    The failure of golf course communities continues to be a massive problem nationwide, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal . With 1,200 golf communities nationwide, and golf declining as a past-time, many homeowners face declining property values and are saddled with heavy membership...Read more

  • Maybe we CAN build our way out of an urban housing shortage

    As cities boom, rental rates are easing due to supply.
    Despite traditional cities growing at rates unlike anything they have seen since the middle of the 20th Century—urban rents are surprisingly under control nationwide, according to a recent Apartment List survey of rental rates in the 25 biggest cities. The findings of the survey put media reports...Read more

  • This seems like good news: Why are economists anxious?

    Prices for real estate in many cities have recently stalled, The New York Times reports, yet the development boom continues.
    The New York Times recently reported some surprisingly good news for cities in its real estate section, and naturally this makes economists worried. They don't call economics "the dismal science" for nothing. The prices for urban real estate seem to be stalling, but developers continue to build and...Read more

  • Families, cities, and schools: Nonprofit and grassroots solutions

    Urban living with kids, part four: What we can do to help meet the demand for family-friendly, mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods with great schools.
    In part three of our series on Urban Living with Kids, we began a discussion on the challenges facing young families with children who desire an urban lifestyle when it comes to neighborhood schools. We also profiled an existing effort led by Tulsa Public Schools to provide a top-notch elementary...Read more