Useful Community Development: What's New
Here are the most recent important changes to our website, including new articles, visitor questions, and editors' answers. You'll also find links to significantly revised pages and time-sensitive or short items we want to bring to your attention. Sometimes we also add short items of interest, especially time-sensitive notes about conferences, webinars, or seasons.
CDC acting in bad faith
Visitor Question: Who can we turn to when our community development corporation, a 501c nonprofit, acts in bad faith, counter to the interests of our under-resourced
New Residence on Narrow Lot
Visitor Question: What size lot is necessary for new residential structures in the Treme, District 2? I am interested in whether one can build between
Bringing Environmental Justice to the Forefront in Your Community
Learn how neighborhoods, planning commissions, and communities can further environmental justice among economic, racial, and ethnic groups.
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Existing barn and application of deed restriction
Visitor Question: We’re in Texas. We owned a home and a property across the street from the home for 19 years, and built a 2400 square foot barn across
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Learn How City Planning Can Bring Results
Good city planning may not be what you think! Realistic plans for land use, transportation, and public services and amenities help any community.
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Building just a garage on a lot in a subdivision with an HOA
Visitor Question: Our HOA has CC&Rs stating one single family use. A lot owner built his house and just bought the lot next door but wants to build a garage.
Continue reading "Building just a garage on a lot in a subdivision with an HOA"
Innovative Ideas to Unite a Community
Visitor Question: Our community has become really divided. We had a political scandal involving very bad behavior by our mayor. He was forced to resign,
Special assessments for capital expenditures
Visitor Question: Our master deed states that a majority of owners must be present to vote on special assessments. Proxy voting is not in our master deed
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How Vacant Building Registration Can Help Put Properties Back into Use
Vacant building registration ordinances lead to better data, revenue to address related issues, and importantly, a big incentive to reuse buildings promptly.
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Can a City Deviate from Its Future Land Use Map
Visitor Question: I'm wondering about when it is acceptable (or even legal) for a city to deviate from its adopted future land use map, which appears in
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A New Vision for Rural Economic Development in Your Community
Rural economic development entails creating new markets for the agricultural base and diversifying the economy to provide new opportunities.
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Three Critical Community Development Principles Illustrated
Explore three key community development principles: creating distinctive places, critical mass in development and programming, and diversified community appeal.
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City moratorium on development
Visitor Question:Is it legal for a city to have a moratorium on development? Our medium-sized city has discussed this a little bit in an open meeting of
How does zoning pertain to condos?
Visitor Question: I am wondering whether the zoning law covers our condos. If so, how does that work? It seems like my large community is sort of self-governing,
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