Sustainable Communities

• Which States Have Recovered the Most Lost Jobs?
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   July 22, 2013
• Last month marked the four-year anniversary of the end of the recession. While employment has returned to pre-recession levels in a few states, most are still far from recovering lost jobs.
• 21 Comments

• Want Western Antiques? Harrisburg's Got You Covered
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   July 15, 2013
• The struggling Pennsylvania city is auctioning off items that were acquired for an ill-conceived Wild West museum.
• 2 Comments

• States Awarding More Big Tax Incentive Deals, Report Finds
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 20, 2013
• States have collectively awarded $64 billion in 'megadeals' after many pursued top employers more aggressively in recent years. View award totals for each state.
• 2 Comments

• The "Metropolitan Revolution" and the Changing Role of Cities
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   June 18, 2013
• Why cities and their leaders could wind up mattering more than Washington.
• 1 Comments

• STEM Jobs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• BY: Michael Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Maps shows jobs requiring STEM skills for each metro area

• Metro Areas with the Most Blue-Collar STEM Jobs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• A new Brookings report finds that there are far more STEM employees in the United States than previously estimated -- and the demand is growing. View maps and data for metro areas.

• Pennsylvania County Launches Infrastructure Bank
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   May 30, 2013
• Dauphin County's program is the first county infrastructure bank in Pennsylvania, and one of the first in the country.
• 5 Comments

• GOP-Controlled Wisconsin Legislature Targets Milwaukee
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   May 13, 2013
• Recent moves by the republican-controlled legislature that could hurt the city's finances has raised speculation that it being targeted as part of a political vendetta.
• 6 Comments

• San Diego Mayor Building Economic Bridges to Tijuana
• Source: The New York Times   |   San Diego, Calif.   |   May 13, 2013
• Satellite city offices are not uncommon for large cities, but San Diego Mayor Bob Filner’s newest outpost is in another country. By opening San Diego’s Tijuana office this year, the mayor hopes to promote cross-border relations and foster economic partnerships.

• Obama, Perry Both Take Credit for Impressive Texas Jobs Growth
• Source: Time   |   Texas   |   May 10, 2013
• Texas has been a monster job creator over the past ten years with steady employment growth despite massive increases in the state's labor pool and a spike in unemployment in 2009.

• Downtown Detroit Projects Derailed Over Financing
• Source: The Detroit Free Press   |   Detroit, Mich.   |   May 10, 2013
• The reluctance of banks and major pension funds to underwrite loans for downtown projects has been a consistent problem for the struggling city.

• Controversial Port Rail Yard Wins Approval of L.A. City Council
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Los Angeles   |   May 9, 2013
• The project would improve freight rail connections to the nation's largest port complex, but it could spur court challenges alleging violations of environmental and civil rights laws.

• How Boomers, Millennials and Immigrants Are Changing America
• BY: Peter Harkness   |   May 2013
• These demographics will have a profound effect on the needs of the country, and state and local officials need to take notice.
• 1 Comments

• Chicago Prepares to Launch Bike-Sharing Program
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Chicago, Ill.   |   April 25, 2013
• The long-anticipated launch of the Chicago program appears to be set for June. Initially the program will be federally funded, but officials say eventually it will pay for itself as it expands.