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How Minneapolis Freed Itself From the Stranglehold of Single-Family Homes

Jeremy White

July 11, 2019 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The city council of Minneapolis has successfully reached out to its constituents and responded to their concerns regarding the housing crisis by enacting the Minneapolis 2040 plan which outlines 100 sustainable solutions to mitigate the threat of urban density. Several progressive city council members have worked toward the goal of providing more affordable housing by creating coalitions and proactively gathering citizen input. Subsequently, affordable housing was the main issue in the latest city elections. The plan rewrites the residential zoning laws to allow multi-family homes in any part of the city.

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Inside the Ambitious Campaign to Drive Homicides in Chicago Below 400

Brian Freskos

July 11, 2019 |

The Trace |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

In Chicago, community organizations, public officials, and private funders have come together behind a campaign called “<399” – with the goal of bringing homicides to under 400. This collaboration has taken on a comprehensive, community-centered approach that includes initiatives like community outreach, individual support, and mentoring. While they’ve received significant funding from the city, they’re hoping to secure long-term financial and political support from all levels of government.

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What Gun Violence Prevention Looks Like When It Focuses on the Communities Hurt the Most

Elizabeth Van Brocklin

July 10, 2019 |

The Trace |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Across the United States, gun violence prevention initiatives are finally turning their attention to the urban communities hit hardest and supporting community-driven approaches. In the past, financial support has gone to linear, legislative approaches to gun control that often favor white communities, but the tides are turning. Funding has shifted to focus on initiatives that provide trauma recovery centers, hospital-based centers, and programs that provide communities hit the hardest with mentorship, job training, and therapy – all initiatives that have proven to help break the cycle of gun violence.

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Myriad ideas exist to solve Hartford's high property taxes and unequal tax system

Matt Pilon Gregory Seay

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

The complex issue of structural inequalities in Hartford, Connecticut's tax system has proven difficult to solve. But community members on all sides agree that a collective approach - one that learns from failed town halls and group brainstorms - is the only way to address the city's imbalance of income opportunities. The town's mayor has led several focus groups with local business owners to get local opinions and perspectives, but the town has to keep working to fuse this local ownership with passable legislation.

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When Green Infrastructure Is an Anti-Poverty Strategy

Barbara Brown Wilson

July 08, 2019 |

Next City |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

In many low-income neighborhoods, new green infrastructure elements and green spaces signal the beginnings of gentrification. A coalition in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon is drawing on grassroots leadership, leadership development and job training programs, and culturally-specific green infrastructure construction to fight displacement and ensure that the current residents can benefit from the sustainability and livability improvements they make to their neighborhood.

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The hip hop school taking on Medellin's mean streets

Oliver Gordon

July 05, 2019 |

Struggles from Below Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

Learning the art of hip-hop provides youth with an alternative to the violence and despair that characterize disadvantaged neighborhoods. In Medellin, Colombia, a program called 4 Elementos teaches kids dance, Dj’ing, rap, and graffiti in a structured way, providing a creative outlet. Hosted in the high school of one the cities most troubled neighborhoods, the program began as an initiative of the Colombian hip-hop group, Crew Peligrosos. Having already reached thousands of kids, the program is looking to expand across Colombia with support from the ABC Foundation.

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Renewing London

Oliver Gordon

July 04, 2019 |

Struggles from Below Magazine |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: England, London

In London, two community-driven initiatives are working side by side to engage residents in sustainable practices. Energy Garden, a community energy cooperative, has created green spaces in rail stations offers residents community gardens, nature education, and solar power. Repower, the other initiative, works with residents to communally invest in renewable energy for low-income neighborhoods while also providing those neighborhoods with energy jobs and mentoring services.

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Campus Thrift Stores

Nick Fiorellini

July 03, 2019 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Annadale-on-Hudson, New York

Recycling and repurposing second hand items helps to reduce a community’s carbon footprint. At Bard College in New York, the FreeUse Store collects second hand items from students and redistributes them free of charge to members of the community. Run by the university’s Office of Sustainably, the program provides a model for using campus bins to recycle textiles and other items to reduce landfill use.

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The rise of urban food forests

Katie Pyzyk

July 02, 2019 |

Smart Cities Dive |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

Creating and supporting local food systems requires public-private partnerships in urban planning. Across the United States, nonprofit organizations such as Trees Atlanta in Georgia successfully work with cities to operate and maintain community orchards, or "food forests", on public lands. Planting food forests with several layers of fruit-bearing vegetation reduces the prevalence of food deserts, adding both green space and nutritional value to communities.

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Residents turn detective to fight crime

Tom Colls

July 02, 2019 |

BBC |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

A U.S. company, Flock Safety, has developed a security and surveillance system that allows residents to monitor the color, model, and license plate of every car entering their neighborhood. The system uses car license plate cameras that aren’t monitored by the local police or governments, rather, by residents themselves, to help deter crime. While the system has shown success to the tune of an average of two crimes solved every day, it also raises questions around the problematic nature of surveillance culture, privacy, and profiting off of safety and fear.

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