Category: Placemaking
Student Corner: NC Commerce Kicks Off the Downtown Strong Initiative
The North Carolina Department of Commerce announced Tuesday that twenty-four communities located in small and/or rural counties throughout the state (see Table, below) have been selected to participate in the new Downtown Strong Initiative of the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center. The in … Read more
Student Corner: The State of American Transportation and Complete Streets
Throughout the United States, transportation infrastructure is dominated by automobile-oriented streets. They connect our neighborhoods and our communities, our urban centers and our rural peripheries, our regions and our states. They facilitate not only commerce and economic development but also th … Read more
Student Corner: Exploring Micro-Units: Part 2
Overview Part 1 of this two-part series discussed what micro-units are, where they are found, and the problem they seek to address. In Part 2 of this series, this blog will explore three criticisms of micro-units and provide a case for why micro-units should still be considered a viable housing opti … Read more
Student Corner: Key Elements of Successful Downtowns
Having a vibrant downtown or town center can have numerous benefits for a community. Aside from creating a “sense of place” and a node of commercial and cultural activity, research shows that businesses prefer locating in downtowns or walkable “live-work-play” communities due to advantages in attrac … Read more
Student Corner: Trends in Housing for an Aging Population
The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University recently published the “Housing America’s Older Adults” report, an overview of the changing dynamics and needs of the nation’s aging population. The report highlights the need to address the evolving housing needs of the large … Read more
Student Corner: The State of the Debate: Two-Way Street Conversion
In recent years, cities across the country have chosen to convert their one-way street networks into traditional two-way streets. This blog post will explore the roots of this widespread planning trend, its potential impacts on city streetscapes, as well as some common counterarguments to this movem … Read more
Student Corner: Exploring Micro-Units: Part 1
Micro-units have emerged as a popular and affordable solution for housing needs across the United States. However, some have raised concerns that micro-units may be reminiscent of tenement houses of the 19th and early 20th centuries and lend themselves to the same crowding and health concerns. Addit … Read more
Disaster Recovery Legislation Imposes Building Permit and Inspection Fee Moratorium Effective NOW
By a unanimous vote in both chambers on Monday evening (October 15th), the General Assembly quickly approved and Governor Cooper signed legislation appropriating almost four hundred million dollars in disaster relief for communities and individuals impacted by Hurricane Florence. The full text of S … Read more
Student Corner: Will Student Loan Debt Impact Future Homeownership?
Student loan debt in the U.S. is now the second highest consumer debt category, following mortgage debt. Americans owe over $1.48 trillion in student loan debt spread out across 44 million borrowers, and according to Student Loan Hero, the average student loan debt for 2017 graduates was $39,400. In … Read more
Temporary Housing and Zoning Amendments
As communities begin the long recovery process in the wake of Hurricane Florence, many residents will need temporary housing. One challenge, though, is the zoning ordinance. Most zoning ordinances strictly limit manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (RVs). As the Federal Emergency Management … Read more