According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, states that are now the most business-friendly are inland locales, ranging from Kentucky and Tennessee in the east, westward to Wyoming and Utah.

All across America, surface parking lots dot metropolitan landscapes, serving the same solitary purpose day after day. But in some parts of the country, these underused parcels of real estate are becoming the new frontier in solar power. So far in 2011, thousands of solar panels have been constructed over parking lots in California, Maryland, Ohio, and New Jersey, among other places.

Portland, Oregon, developer Mark Desbrow formed Green Light Development to pioneer a 45-unit independent living cooperative, called the Sheldon Cooperative. Read about some of the advantages the independent cooperative housing model offers buyers, as well as developers, compared with the more traditional models and services offered by condominiums.

Infrastructure Is Key Priority in President’s Budget. Last week, President Obama unveiled his FY2012 budget, which includes a strong emphasis on infrastructure. While the budget contains a five-year freeze in discretionary spending to reduce the federal deficit, the president pegged infrastructure as a catalyst for job creation, economic recovery, and global competitiveness.

Sales are slow. Leasing is sluggish. You need more activity, but your cash is tight. How can you squeeze more momentum from your marketing budget? Read what several ULI council members offer in terms of maximizing marketing using traditional and social media outlets.

From Australia to Canada, from the U.K. to the U.S, see ten examples where cash-strapped city and state governments get new or refurbished parks, libraries, or recreation facilities. Private sector partners get added value such as higher home prices and enhanced foot traffic for retail, entertainment, and dining uses. In some cases, the private sector partner builds and operates justice or transit structures in exchange for development rights.

Sustainable energy financing districts offer commercial building owners and homeowners low-interest loans for energy-efficiency projects—a creative way for owners to finance solar, wind, or geothermal energy upgrades to their properties and for cities or counties Energy to meet their mandated need to reduce greenhouse gases and be energy independent.