Urban Revitalization

General Information

The revitalization of communities is happening all around the country thanks to the hard work of urban planners.  But it certainly takes a village, so browse our information to learn more about the people and principles involved in making small changes that have a large impact for at-risk families and up-and-coming towns near you.

Academic References

Urban planning and revitalization have emerged as important academic disciplines, with universities all over the country and abroad offering programs and degrees training students to innovate for the betterment of communities everywhere.

• Urban Studies and Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
• Urban Planning at Rutgers
• Urban Design at UC Berkeley
• Urban Spatial Analytics at University of Pennsylvania

Local and Nonprofit Initiatives

Urban revitalization is all about being local, with the underlying idea being to maximize community use of local human capital and natural resources in a well-planned way.  Read below to learn more about nonprofit organizations working to uplift communities in D.C. and beyond.

• NPR article on Ben Bernannke’s call for greater investment in urban areas like Anacostia
• “Siting Green Infrastructure” highlights using legal and policy solutions to manage polluted stormwater runoff while providing benefits to communities, by Alexandra Dapolito Dunn (former EcoHour speaker)
• Greater Greater Washington lists urban renewal issues of interest to local communities
• Urbanist article on the historical urban revitalization, renewal, and growth of D.C.
• The Center for Urban Renewal and Education lists information on improving health care, school systems, political representation, women’s health, and welfare programs

Case Studies

Urban revitalization can be everyone’s project.  Read more about case studies for inspiration in thinking about your local, urban surroundings.

• The Harvard University economist describes how different cities have approached urban revitalization, and the factors that make them more or less likely to succeed
• Report measuring the economic value of a city park system as a public land trust
• EPA’s Urban Waters program takes a close look at what communities are doing to reconnect with their water sources

Further Reading

Still want to learn more?  Keep reading information in the links below and tell us what you’ve learned at one of our upcoming events.

• The ABCs of urban renewal from Indypendent Reader
• Rutgers school program reading list
• Hok Renew blog archive on urban revitalization
• Urban revitalization from Inhabit