Land Lines

Finding Fiscal Inspiration in São Paulo

By Jon Gorey, August 2, 2025

Standing among the office towers and high-end hotels of São Paulo, a 272-unit social housing unit offers proof that urban investment doesn’t have to lead to displacement.

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Equitable Urban Greening

By Jon Gorey, July 22, 2025

Urban green space filters and cools the air, absorbs stormwater, and improves physical and mental health. But it’s also proven to increase property values, which can pose a risk to longtime residents.

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The serene Huntsville, Alabama, cityscape at dusk featuring a reflective canal bordered by a curved stone walkway and a red pedestrian bridge. Modern office buildings with glass facades and traditional brick buildings line the background, while lampposts and young trees add charm to the landscaped waterfront area. The soft evening sky casts a gentle glow over the scene.

New Report Analyzes Variation in Effective Property Tax Rates Across US States

By Kristina McGeehan, July 16, 2025

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence report highlights the impact of public policy, property values, and local spending decisions on property tax rates.

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Growing Water Smart in US–Mexico Border Communities

By Jon Gorey, May 16, 2025

Growing Water Smart helps communities envision and realize goals related to watershed health and community resilience. The program recently expanded to work with communities that cooperate across the US-Mexico border.

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Grassroots Conservation (Minus the Grass)

How homeowners and communities can boost biodiversity one yard at a time by planting native trees, pollinator gardens, and Miyawaki forests.

By Jon Gorey, May 7, 2025

A growing movement is inviting nature back into the cities and towns from which it was once expelled, planting native pollinator gardens and Miyawaki microforests in front yards, schoolyards, parks, and vacant lots. This StoryMap explores how individuals and municipalities are creating and protecting habitat at the local level.

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A wooden railing with horizontal slats in the foreground frames a courtyard, a distant building, and blue sky. One section of the building has white siding, and one section has wooden siding.

Housing Design Has to Evolve

By Lynn Richards, April 15, 2025

American households have changed, and our housing should too. Lynn Richards, former president of the Congress for the New Urbanism, explains why design must evolve to meet the moment.

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