Urban Renewal and Redevelopment

Urban Planning and Development October 25, 2025
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Introduction

This course provides a critical examination of the history, theory, and contemporary practice of urban renewal and redevelopment. It analyzes the transition from mid-20th-century 'slum clearance' to modern, nuanced strategies focused on revitalization, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse. Participants will learn about the financing mechanisms, legal tools, and planning processes—such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and eminent domain—used to facilitate complex redevelopment projects. The core challenge addressed is how to catalyze significant investment and change while promoting social equity and mitigating the risks of gentrification and displacement.

Objectives

The objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive and critical understanding of urban renewal and redevelopment strategies and tools. Upon completion, participants will be able to:

  • Master the specialized legal and financial tools of urban redevelopment (TIF, eminent domain).
  • Analyze the historical evolution and ethical critiques of urban renewal programs.
  • Design effective and equitable redevelopment plans for complex, distressed areas.
  • Apply strategies for land assembly, site remediation, and environmental due diligence.
  • Negotiate successful Development Agreements and Public-Private Partnerships (P3s).
  • Implement anti-displacement and community benefits strategies in revitalization projects.
  • Develop sustainable financing plans that leverage both public and private capital.

Target Audience

  • Urban Planners and Economic Development Professionals
  • Real Estate Developers and Investors
  • Municipal Attorneys and Public Finance Officers
  • Historic Preservationists and Architects
  • Community Development Corporation (CDC) Staff
  • Government Staff managing redevelopment areas
  • Students in Planning or Public Administration

Methodology

  • Case Studies of major urban redevelopment projects (e.g., Hudson Yards, successful TIF districts)
  • Group Activities: Preparing a simplified fiscal impact analysis for a redevelopment proposal
  • Discussions on the ethical justification for the use of eminent domain and blight designation
  • Individual Exercises: Drafting key terms for a Development Agreement (DA)
  • Expert presentations from public finance officers and redevelopment attorneys
  • Role-playing scenarios: A negotiation between a developer and a community group on a CBA

Personal Impact

  • Master the specialized legal and financial tools of urban redevelopment (TIF, eminent domain)
  • Gain expertise in managing the complex site assembly and remediation process
  • Improve ability to negotiate effective Development Agreements and public-private partnerships
  • Enhance skills in planning for equitable outcomes and displacement mitigation
  • Develop a critical understanding of the history and ethics of urban renewal
  • Position oneself to lead or manage complex, large-scale revitalization efforts

Organizational Impact

  • Catalyze significant private investment in economically challenged areas
  • Increase local property tax revenues through focused, strategic redevelopment
  • Remediate and bring contaminated Brownfield sites back into productive use
  • Facilitate the creation of jobs and housing in targeted revitalization zones
  • Improve the organization's ability to utilize complex public finance tools like TIF
  • Create modern, vibrant, and competitive urban centers and districts

Course Outline

Unit 1: The Evolution of Urban Renewal

Historical Context and Critique
  • The origins and policy drivers of post-WWII Urban Renewal (e.g., 1949 Housing Act)
  • The process of 'slum clearance' and its devastating social consequences
  • The critical backlash: the influence of Jane Jacobs and advocacy planning
  • The shift from destruction to revitalization and historic preservation
Legal and Financial Foundations
  • The legal concept of 'blight' and its use in designating redevelopment areas
  • Understanding and applying the power of eminent domain and 'just compensation'
  • The establishment and authority of Redevelopment Agencies (RDAs)
  • State and local legislation enabling modern redevelopment practice

Unit 2: Financing Redevelopment Projects

Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
  • The mechanics and rationale of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and similar tools
  • Conducting a baseline study and estimating TIF revenue projections
  • Legal and political challenges of TIF, including displacement of revenue from other districts
  • The use of TIF to fund public infrastructure and developer incentives
Alternative Funding Tools
  • The use of local government bonds and capital improvement programs (CIP)
  • Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) in large-scale redevelopment
  • Federal and state grants (e.g., CDBG, Brownfields grants) for site remediation
  • Innovative financing for affordable housing components in redevelopment

Unit 3: Redevelopment Planning and Design

Site Assembly and Remediation
  • Strategies for strategic land assembly and coordination across multiple property owners
  • Assessment and cleanup of Brownfield sites and contaminated land
  • The process of site due diligence, environmental review, and permitting
  • Relocation assistance planning for displaced residents and businesses
Design and Placemaking
  • Developing a comprehensive redevelopment plan (goals, land use, design guidelines)
  • Principles of urban design for revitalized, mixed-use districts
  • The role of adaptive reuse and historic preservation in retaining neighborhood character
  • Planning and programming for vibrant public spaces and cultural assets

Unit 4: Social Equity and Displacement Mitigation

Gentrification and Displacement
  • Analyzing the indicators and trajectory of gentrification in redevelopment areas
  • Policy strategies for mitigating residential and commercial displacement risks
  • Negotiating Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) with developers
  • The role of preservation of existing affordable housing and rent stabilization
Inclusion and Participation
  • Designing an inclusive and continuous public engagement process for complex projects
  • Ensuring that the benefits of redevelopment are broadly and equitably shared
  • Strategies for linking redevelopment to local hiring and workforce development
  • Monitoring and measuring the social and economic equity impacts of the project

Unit 5: Implementation and Governance

Project Management and Implementation
  • In-depth analysis of successful and challenged redevelopment case studies (e.g., waterfronts, downtowns)
  • Best practices in negotiating Development Agreements (DAs) and incentive packages
  • The process of managing project timelines, public budgets, and political support
  • Strategies for attracting and securing the right private sector development partners

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