• Much of its downtown gone, Hartford leads the way to parking reform

    The capital city of Connecticut tore down many buildings to store cars, but city officials have realized the error and reversed course.
    Like many industrial cities in the United States, Hartford saw dramatic population decline during the second half of the 20th century. In 1960, half of the people working in Hartford lived there, many walking or taking transit to jobs downtown; by 1980, less than a quarter of its workforce called...Read more

  • Get the 2023 Charter Awards inside scoop

    Megan O’Hara is the 2023 Charter Awards Jury Chair. A focus of this year’s jury will be on projects that build great places for all by being accessible and equitable.
    Note: I sat down with 2023 Charter Awards Jury Chair Megan O’Hara to discuss her New Urbanist background and her experience as both an applicant and Charter Awards jury member. The conversation has been edited for clarity. Learn more about the 2023 Charter Awards application here . Megan O’Hara...Read more

  • The life-saving benefits of street trees

    A US Forest Service study indicates that street trees save lives and provide direct health benefits that far outweigh the costs of planting and maintenance.
    The planting of street trees may be more beneficial than previously thought. Street trees have long been connected to many positive outcomes —from reducing urban heat islands, to improving traffic safety, to cutting air pollution and raising property values—but researchers at the Portland Forestry...Read more

  • CNU Board names new co-leaders, Rick Cole returns to city government

    After providing steady leadership through a period of transition and staff growth, Rick Cole has announced that he will be leaving CNU in December to accept a position as the Deputy Chief Controller for the city of Los Angeles. The Board of Directors unanimously voted to name Mallory Baches as the...Read more