• A unique approach to affordable housing for artists

    Artspace demonstrates the diversity of strategies for addressing America’s affordable housing problems. In some cases, they are the lynchpin of downtown revival.
    Artspace, which describes itself as “America’s leading nonprofit real estate developer for the arts,” is a unique organization nationally. Based in Minneapolis, the nonprofit has 57 projects in 32 cities, 22 states, the District of Columbia, and a tribal community, totaling more than 2,000 units...Read more

  • Infrastructure Department boosts the public realm

    Jersey City is showing how to rapidly transform public space to serve a wide range of users, contributing to its reputation as a livable city.
    Two years ago, the City of Jersey City created a Department of Infrastructure to oversee streets, transit, parks, municipal buildings, and other facilities—an unusual and bold move helping transform the public realm. The department and policies leading up to its creation were pivotal in...Read more

  • Lessons from ‘car-free’ Culdesac

    Nationally recognized Culdesac Tempe is living up to its hype—the question is to what extent cities will get out of the way to allow this to happen elsewhere.
    Phase 1 of Culdesac Tempe has been occupied for a year and a half, with phase 2 under construction. This closely watched 15-acre project on the Valley Metro light rail line indicates that car-free living is economically, socially, and environmentally viable, even in the heart of car culture—the...Read more

  • Public housing transformation promotes urbanism

    Founded on a solid design framework, the North Downtown Athens plan extends the city's heart with mixed-use, walkable, affordable development.
    Nearly 30 years ago, new urbanists established design standards for HUD’s HOPE VI program, the largest remake of public housing in the nation’s history. Although HOPE VI wasn’t perfect, the design principles have endured. The program also showed that the nascent New Urbanism was not just for the...Read more