How About Walkable “Small Town-ism”?
Forgive me if, after living in a small town for seven years, I have forgotten exactly what “walkable urbanism” means. I walk every day on the sidewalks in my […]
Making Mixed-Income Developments Work
A single development with an intentional income mix involves very specific challenges—both in its design and its management.
Control of Farmland, City Style
I have thought a lot lately about the issue of land ownership for farmers, and the barriers they face to buying land so they can plan for growing their business and serving more food consumers. This issue really matters on the edges of metropolitan areas, where farmers can find lucrative markets for their products and […]
Hubs Help Move the Local Food Movement to the Next Level
It’s not unusual to read a press release from a governor’s or mayor’s office celebrating a deal to bring a new company to a neighborhood or city. Typically we’d be talking about a new manufacturing or tech firm, and the press release would speak glowingly of the prospects for economic development. Which makes a bit […]
Do Fences Prevent Good Neighbors?
Lately I’ve been reading about places where communities are separated by fences. Not divided, as if they had previously been together. I mean places like Hamden, Conn., or the town […]
A Victory for Local Control re: Fracking
Localities in New York State appear to have won the right to ban fracking, thanks to a decision by the state's highest court on June 30 in favor of two […]
Deep-seated, Anti-Government Mood Remains
The stunning upset of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Republican primary election on Tuesday by a Tea Party-linked insurgent Dave Brat is obviously big news at the national […]
Outside Investment or Self-Reliance for Rural Success?
Recently I came across a couple articles that questioned the economic viability of rural areas in large parts of this country. These are places that are too far outside metropolitan […]
A Farm-to-Fork Movement, Starting with the Corner Store
One of the more intriguing aspects of the local food movement in the United States is the effort to increase demand for fresh, locally produced food in low-income neighborhoods. Many […]
How Millennials Are Rocking the Cradle
On this blog recently there have been several posts wondering whether the millenials are going to stay in the city once they have kids. The attractions of a bigger yard, […]
Tiny Homes, Big Solutions
A couple years ago I wrote on this blog about the burgeoning tiny house movement. Individuals across America are choosing to live in homes on wheels that are often no […]
Maybe Money Really Can Grow On Trees
Guess what? The local food movement is actually good for your local economy! At least that seems to be true in the Northeastern U.S., if not yet in other regions. […]