RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Christopher B. Leinberger, November 10, 2010, The Avenue, The New Republic
Following a recent call from President Obama for ideas to create new jobs, Christopher Leinberger proposes looking to the real estate sector for a much-needed boost. However, the sprawl-based built environment that led to the current recession isn’t the solution. Leinberger urges smarter development for infrastructure and housing, moving metropolitan areas toward more walkable and sustainable communities. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Christopher B. Leinberger and Patrick C. Doherty, November 2010, Washington Monthly
Meeting rising demand for walkable urban communities could reshape the country’s economic landscape and prevent downturns driven by overdevelopment, write Christopher Leinberger and Patrick Doherty. The authors call on metropolitan leaders to overhaul infrastructure that continues to accommodate sprawl and embrace strategies for sustainability. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Christopher B. Leinberger, October 28, 2010, The Avenue, The New Republic
Christopher B. Leinberger comments on the growth of pedestrian-oriented urban development in Toronto and predicts that similar investments are essential to U.S. economic recovery. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Katz, September 14, 2010, The Avenue, The New Republic
Policies to tackle future metropolitan growth cannot be crafted using traditional concepts of urban development, says Bruce Katz. He explains how various national demographic shifts and a changing global economic landscape are affecting American metropolitan areas. Katz also explores how these trends will shape views on accommodating growing populations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Christopher B. Leinberger, July 09, 2010, The Avenue, The New Republic
Christopher Leinberger explores the next generation of metropolitan development, emphasizing the need for human-scaled spaces as opposed to the car-oriented communities usually found on the metropolitan fringe. He uses the classification of metropolitan spaces as either “walkable urban” or “drivable sub-urban” to illustrate that traditional ways of thinking about infrastructure and community planning are outdated. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Mark Muro and Kenan Fikri, June 23, 2010, The Avenue, The New Republic
Metropolitan areas in the Mountain West region continue to hope growth in their real estate and construction sectors will jump-start broader job growth. Mark Muro and Kenan Fikri suggest they may have things backwards, and urge leaders in the region and adopt a new economic model that puts exports, low-carbon business growth, and innovation first. They emphasize that a move into this “next economy” will bring more lasting job growth and a more sustainable housing durable recovery. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Katz, May 28, 2010, The Seattle Times
Over the past decade, the Seattle metropolitan area has managed to achieve gains in diversity, educational attainment and overall population growth, reflecting larger demographic trends that are transforming the United States. However, for Seattle, there are some challenges that remain. Bruce Katz outlines how the Seattle metropolitan area can move forward by recognizing the value of its regional assets and collaborating more with its metropolitan peers across the country. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Steven Raphael and Michael Stoll, March 30, 2010, The Brookings Institution
Employment decentralization has affected many metropolitan areas in the United States for decades, shifting jobs away from city centers toward outlying areas. This trend has impacted poor communities, creating suburbs with growing poverty rates. Michael Stoll and Steven Raphael study the link between the decentralization and poverty, and how the findings may affect future policy decisions. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert E. Lang, Amy Liu and Mark Muro, April 07, 2009, Colorado College State of the Rockies Symposium
This year's State of the Rockies Symposium at Colorado College focuses on megapolitan areas—combinations of two or more regions into a single economic, social, and urban system. Amy Liu and Mark Muro of the Metro Program, and Robert Lang of Virginia Tech, delivered keynote addresses on how the Pike’s Peak region can leverage the federal role to help it better connect to Denver and the rest of the Front Range “mega" and boost its prosperity. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Kneebone, April 06, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The continued decentralization of employment has implications for the future of the nation’s vital economic engines. A new Brookings report analyzes “job sprawl” trends in 98 of the largest metro areas across the country and finds that job share shifted away from the urban core in almost every major American metro area. Larger metros like Detroit, Chicago and Dallas locate half of all jobs more than 10 miles away from the city center. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Frank S. Alexander, October 28, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Frank Alexander of Emory University argues that the rising number of vacant and abandoned properties around the nation requires federal policy to better capitalize local and regional land banking (the process or policy by which local governments acquire surplus properties and convert them to productive use), encourage code reform and regional collaboration. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Katz and Lavea Brachman, October 19, 2008, The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Bruce Katz and Metro partner Lavea Brachman co-authored an op-ed appearing in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer stemming from the success of the “Ohio Summit” this past September. In it, the two explain the need for a change in the discourse about the national economy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David Eichenthal and Tracy Windeknecht, September 2008, The Brookings Institution
A May 2007 Brookings report, “Restoring Prosperity,” examined how 302 U.S. cities fared on eight indicators of economic health and vitality. While the report's central focus was on cities facing the steepest economic challenges, the analysis showed that some raised their economic status over time. Chattanooga, Tennessee a few years ago faced what many smaller cities are struggling with today—a sudden decline after years of prosperity in the "old" economy. This case study offers a roadmap for these cities by chronicling Chattanooga's demise and rebirth. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Larry Ledebur and Jill Taylor, September 2008, The Brookings Institution
A May 2007 Brookings report, “Restoring Prosperity,” examined how 302 U.S. cities fared on eight indicators of economic health and vitality. While the report's central focus was on cities facing the steepest economic challenges, the analysis showed that some raised their economic status over time. In-depth case studies of three of those cities—Akron, Chattanooga, and Louisville—illustrate how struggling cities can begin to reshape and reinvigorate their economies. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Edward Bennett and Carolyn Gatz, September 2008, The Brookings Institution
A May 2007 Brookings report, “Restoring Prosperity,” examined how 302 U.S. cities fared on eight indicators of economic health and vitality. While the report's central focus was on cities facing the steepest economic challenges, the analysis showed that some raised their economic status over time. This in-depth case studies of Louisville, Kentucky offers important lessons for other cities that are striving to compete in a very new economic era. Read More