• New urban revitalization in an underserved community

    The Atlanta neighborhood of Pittsburgh was the subject of foundation investment to develop in an equitable way.
    The Annie E. Casey Foundation recently reported on progress in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Atlanta, where the foundation funded a new urbanist Preservation of Pittsburgh plan in 2012. The name of the neighborhood has roots in its smoky, industrial character during the first half of the 20 th...Read more

  • ‘Maker’ districts could spur revitalization

    Cities are encouraging small manufacturing to promote inclusive economic development and livable wages in downtowns and main streets.
    Fredericksburg, Virginia, is proposing a creative “maker” district on 78 acres of the city’s downtown. North of the city’s central business district, the area currently has a mix of residential, commercial, warehouse and other uses. Encouraging small-scale manufacturing in downtowns, main streets,...Read more

  • The case for AfroUrbanism

    AfroUrbanism centers the lived experience of black people in the design and creation of black communities. It puts black culture at the fore, taking into account the past harms, current challenges, and future aspirations of black city dwellers. AfroUrbanism goes beyond Black folks practicing...Read more

  • Eight incremental development policies to help bridge the wealth gap

    Using vacant parcels in a in a predominantly African American neighborhood in Northwest Detroit as a testing ground, a University of Michigan team modeled a development process that could support local residents as small-scale, novice developers.
    One of the more pernicious forms of racial inequality in this country is the wealth gap between white and Black Americans. Income gaps aside, disparities in wealth are even starker, and worsening. Between 1983 and 2013, median Black household wealth decreased by 75 percent to $1,700 while median...Read more