The Civita mixed-use development is a model for San Diego’s “City of Villages” planning strategy. But the development’s progressive ideas blazed new territory, and nearly a decade passed before the developer obtained approvals to begin construction.
Over the past decade, mixed-income housing has been rising in popularity across the country, with progressive cities providing housing for lower-income residents alongside more affluent ones. "[Traditional] lenders have not yet bought into the concept,” says private developer John Huskey, president of Los Angeles–based Meta Housing Inc., but he hopes traditional lenders will accept this concept, much as they did mixed-use development a decade ago. “We’re demonstrating that you can get market rents alongside affordable housing,” he says.
Known as the Duke of Art Deco, Dave Goldstein has made a profitable business out of his hobby of restoring vintage apartment buildings. They now draw above-market rents, which is helping stabilize values in neighborhoods where film stars and future presidents once dwelled.
Cities across the United States anticipate significant water challenges caused by climate change and are updating their water management plans to address areas of vulnerability and prepare for the worst.
The U.S. hotel sector, now rebounding from the Great Recession, is on more solid footing thanks to a return to core real estate principles and conservative lending practices, creating the stability required to respond to changing customer values. Read about the trends in hotel development, possible changes driven by technology, and where the boutique hotels are leading the brand hospitality firms.
Competition for high-paying jobs has the film industry playing an ever-larger role in economic development in places other than California and New York. Forty U.S. states and most Canadian provinces now offer some type of tax credit for in-state production. And local governments are sweetening the pot with offers of free money, land, public financing, and other incentives.
Digital technology revolutionized the way entertainment professionals work, bringing about a convergence of media, entertainment, and technology that allows creative companies to downsize their workspace and locate wherever they please. Read about districts that are attracting entertainment firms with their interesting, edgy architecture and attractive lifestyle amenities and services.
Most economists agree that home sales will remain in a slump for at least the next few years, but demand for apartments is accelerating. This trend is expected to continue over the next decade, due largely to the echo boom generation’s (Echo Boomers) coming of age and entering the rental market.
Increasing concern about the impact of growth on climate change has prompted governments worldwide to implement policies and initiatives aimed at growing communities in climate-positive ways. Read how some local and state governments have taken on the heavy lifting involved in meeting this challenge.
