Urban Development Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Urban Development distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

PiqCue — piqcue.com/urban-development/cheatsheet

Quick Reference

Smart Growth

An urban development approach that concentrates growth in compact, walkable centers, preserves open space and farmland, and provides a range of housing and transportation choices. Smart growth aims to reduce sprawl and its environmental, economic, and social costs.

Urban Renewal

Government-led programs that clear and redevelop areas classified as blighted, typically involving demolition, land assembly, and reconstruction. While intended to revitalize declining neighborhoods, urban renewal has been widely criticized for displacing communities.

Brownfield Remediation

The process of cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated or previously used industrial or commercial land. Brownfield redevelopment returns polluted sites to productive use while reducing pressure to build on undeveloped greenfield land.

Public-Private Partnership (P3)

A collaborative arrangement between government entities and private sector companies to finance, build, and operate urban development projects. P3s leverage private capital and expertise while serving public goals.

Inclusionary Zoning

A land-use regulation that requires or incentivizes private developers to include a percentage of affordable housing units in new residential projects. It aims to create mixed-income communities and prevent economic segregation.

Community Land Trust (CLT)

A nonprofit organization that acquires and holds land permanently for community benefit, leasing it to homeowners and renters at affordable rates. CLTs separate land ownership from building ownership to maintain long-term affordability.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

A public financing tool that captures future increases in property tax revenue generated by new development in a designated district and uses those incremental revenues to fund infrastructure improvements within that district.

Gentrification

The process by which wealthier newcomers move into a lower-income neighborhood, driving up property values, rents, and the cost of living, often displacing long-time residents and altering the neighborhood's cultural character.

Zoning

The legal tool by which local governments divide land into zones with specific permitted uses (residential, commercial, industrial) and development standards (height, density, setbacks). Zoning is the primary regulatory mechanism shaping urban development patterns.

Infill Development

New construction on vacant or underutilized parcels within already developed areas, increasing density and making efficient use of existing infrastructure. Infill is a key strategy for reducing sprawl and revitalizing declining neighborhoods.

Key Terms at a Glance

Affordable Housing:Housing for which occupants pay no more than 30% of gross income for rent and utilities.

Brownfield:A previously used industrial or commercial site that may be contaminated and requires remediation before redevelopment.

Community Development Corporation:A nonprofit organization focused on neighborhood revitalization through housing, economic development, and community services.

Community Land Trust:A nonprofit that holds land permanently for community benefit, leasing it to maintain long-term affordability.

Comprehensive Plan:A long-range municipal plan establishing goals, policies, and land-use maps for future development.

Displacement:Involuntary relocation of residents or businesses due to rising costs, redevelopment, or policy changes.

Eminent Domain:Government power to acquire private property for public use with just compensation.

Entitlement:The regulatory approval process required before a development project can proceed to construction.

Gentrification:Neighborhood change driven by wealthier newcomers that raises costs and may displace existing residents.

Greenfield:Previously undeveloped land, typically agricultural or natural, on the urban fringe.

Impact Fee:A charge on new development to fund infrastructure improvements necessitated by growth.

Inclusionary Zoning:Regulations requiring developers to include affordable units in new residential projects.

Infill Development:Construction on vacant or underused parcels within existing developed areas.

LIHTC:Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a federal incentive for private investment in affordable rental housing.

Mixed-Income Housing:Developments integrating units at multiple price points to reduce economic segregation.

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