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Housing and Community Development

Housing is the predominant land use in urban areas and a major focus of the planning field. Concern with housing covers the general issues of providing decent, safe, and affordable housing for all members of the community, in locations that promote the well-being of households and the community. Community development concerned with the creation, preservation and revitalization of healthy neighborhoods, and commercial and public areas that serve resident populations. Community developers are also increasingly being called upon to assist public officials and planning agencies in their pursuit of economic development.

Housing and community development planners are employed in a variety of contexts, both public and private, dealing with the formulation and implementation of housing and development policies and plans, both for special population groups (the young, elderly, poor, minorities), as well as mainstream populations.

The courses in the specialization cover the variety of subjects necessary for practice within the field, including the study and critical evaluation of past and current housing, community development, and economic development policies. Students are also taught the basic methods needed for undertaking community development and promoting community mobilization.

Coursework

The specialization consists of three required and one elective course. The required courses are:

URP 5742: Problems and Issues in Housing and Community Development (Offered Fall Semesters)
URP 5749: Community Development Systems (Offered Spring Semesters)
URP 5540: State and Local Economic Development Planning (Offered Fall Semesters)

One elective course should be chosen from among the following:

URP 5122: Planning Dispute Resolution
URP 5316: Land Use Planning
URP 5530: Policy and Planning for the Aged
URP 5615: Infrastructure and Housing in Less Developed Countries
URP 5743: Neighborhood Planning
URP 5749r: Special Topics in Housing and Community Development
URP 5873: Site Design and Land Use Analysis
REE 5305: Real Estate Feasibility Analysis (Prereq. REE 5935)
REE 5045: The Real Estate Process
HIS 5083: Historic Sites Identification and Preservation
SOW 5334: Organizational and Community Systems Change
SOW 5938: Homelessness in America

Concentrations

A concentration consists of a focused program involving the two specialty electives and two additional electives. A variety of concentrations are possible, focusing on specialized housing problems, the needs of special housing consumers, or aspects of the analysis, policy and delivery process. Examples include housing for the elderly, community economic development, historic preservation, neighborhood planning, housing and real estate development, community organization, and others. Coursework in other departments is available. Students should consult with a specialty advisor in formulating a concentration.