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  • Taiwan's Crowdsourced Democracy Shows Us How to Fix Social Media

    September 27, 2020 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: Taiwan

    vTaiwan is a mixed-reality, scaled listening exercise used by the government as a new way to make decisions. The platform provides an online space for citizens to debate and for politicians to listen to. The government lays out political questions, such as regulating Uber or changing time zones, and people can share their feelings, agree and disagree, but divisive statements and trolling are not posted. After debating for a period of time it became apparent that people converged around points of consensus. The government has implemented about a dozen laws and regulations based on the discussions.

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  • Chicago Teens Unveil Vision for Change and Public Safety in Their Neighborhood

    September 23, 2020 |

    Next City |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

    Twenty high school students enrolled in Territory, an urban design nonprofit, produced a zine and their own quality of life report for West Austin, where many of the students live. The students conducted interviews, surveys, and gathered community input to create the report. It includes sections on public safety, youth empowerment, and mental health.

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  • REDMAP

    September 23, 2020 |

    NPR |

    Radio |

    Over 15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States

    The Redistricting Majority Project, or REDMAP, used a sophisticated mapping technology and fund-raising strategy to flip 21 states' legislatures from Democratic to Republican control after the 2010 Census. That campaign, which poured money into hundreds of local elections to affect the outcomes, made a major impact on partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts in the following years, and on state policymaking. With the Supreme Court's refusal to block such tactics, the post-2020 Census promises to feature even more partisan manipulation of districts and local elections.

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  • In Slumping Energy States, Plugging Abandoned Wells Could Provide an Economic Boost

    September 23, 2020 |

    Stateline |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Watford City, North Dakota

    North Dakota is using some of its COVID-19 pandemic relief funds to plug 239 abandoned oil wells and reclaim 2,000 acres of lands. Abandoned wells can contaminate groundwater and leak methane that is hazardous to human health and contributes to climate change. While not everyone agrees that the funds should be used to plug wells, state officials say the economic relief program is keeping about 600 oilfield workers employed.

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  • Waiving Regulations for Affordable Housing Shows Results in Austin

    September 22, 2020 |

    Next City |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Austin, Texas

    Affordable housing requirements for developers were eased in Austin through legislation known as Affordability Unlocked. As a result of less stringent parking, set-back and height codes, developers are able to maximize the number of units per building and deliver a bigger impact per project. These projects are generally built through government subsidies, therefore giving tax payers a higher return on investment.

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  • The Shared Spaces program: a crisis-driven experiment that could permanently change San Francisco's urban landscape

    September 22, 2020 |

    Mission Local |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

    The Shared Spaces program is a pandemic-driven initiative that increases outdoor dining space in commercial areas. The initiative made the permit process more user friendly and less expensive. Over 1,200 outdoor dining applications were approved in three months, which is more than the city approved in 2018 and 2019 combined. The increased capacity of outdoor dining seating takes away other public spaces, usually parking and driving space, but the program’s success has helped businesses survive pandemic-related restrictions and officials are assessing the program to maintain it moving forward.

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  • Old school still rules: Lee-Harvard's high census response rate could teach other neighborhoods a few tricks

    September 22, 2020 |

    The Land |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Cleveland, Ohio

    The high census completion rate in Lee-Harvard, as high as 70%, compared to Cleveland’s 50% as a whole, is the result of regular meetings, pre-pandemic, to educate residents of the benefits of the census and dispel common myths. After the pandemic, volunteers at the community center’s monthly food distribution provided census-related information. A group of retired women, called the Ward 1 Volunteer Navigators, also went door-to-door to make sure everyone got counted. Because many of the residents are long time homeowners, neighbor-to-neighbor relationships also led more residents to complete the census.

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  • Can an Algorithm Help Solve Political Paralysis?

    September 18, 2020 |

    Scientific American |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United Kingdom

    Citizen assemblies bring together residents for in-depth discussions about solutions to social issues. This alternative form of democracy led to policy changes in many countries, including legalizing abortion in Ireland. In the UK, an algorithm was applied to form a 110-person “climate assembly.” In a multistage process, the algorithm selected a representative sample of the U.K.’s population, sometimes oversampling harder to reach groups to ensure inclusion. A small stipend was also offered to offset costs for people with lower incomes. The group submitted a final report with climate policy recommendations.

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  • Detroiters are Fighting for the Right to Water

    September 18, 2020 |

    Belt Magazine |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Throughout the United States, people living below the federal poverty level often struggle to pay for utilities, but in Philadelphia, the Tiered Assistance Program (TAP) aims to alleviate that burden by basing water utility rates on income. In the four years since the program launched, more than 15,000 residents have participated and 96% of those participants have avoided water shutoffs.

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  • Jersey City's Composting Program Expands During a Pandemic

    September 16, 2020 |

    Next City |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Jersey City, New Jersey

    Since the Jersey City composting program, over 50,000 pounds of disposable waste has been used to fertilize home gardens, parks, and community gardens, instead of going into landfills. While scaling the program is a challenge due to the lack of infrastructure for integrating composting as part of the city’s waste removal, residents were eager to participate.

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