Authenticity is the Key to Building Better Community.

What makes the place you live different from every other place out there? Hint: It's not the Taco John's out on the strip.

Short-read here: medium.com/small-towns-...
#CommunityDevelopment #planning #econdev

The best time for that conversation is before it’s needed.
The next best time is tomorrow.

This week's long-read is "When the Zoning Code Works Against the Plan"
jcshepard.com/2026/09/zoni...
#Zoning #LandUse #Planning #EconDev #ZoningReform

Grapes, Wine, and Practical Heritage Tourism

medium.com/small-towns-...
#ValueAddedAg #HeritageTourism #EconDev

🔍 Pour réduire la pauvreté, suffit-il de réduire les inégalités ?

📉 Dans la revue World Development, F. Bresson (CERDI) propose une méthode pour mesurer la sensibilité de la pauvreté aux variations des inégalités. Application au #Brésil, 1981-2022.

👉 t.ly/xEqz2

#EconDev #Research #Poverty

When the Zoning Code Works Against the Plan
jcshepard.com/2026/09/zoni...

#LandUse #Zoning #Planning #EconDev #Downtown

Rural Broadband Makes Progress… at a Cost.

#Broadband availability has improved significantly, but availability is not the same as practical, affordable, high-quality service, especially for #rural communities.

Link: medium.com/small-towns-...
#econdev

Data centers are now the defining rural land use fight, a national backlash against the physical footprint of the AI economy. Texas is a case study.

I don't support or oppose--but we need to do better.
New short-read at: jcshepard.com/2026/09/data...
#datacenters #planning #econdev