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Can 'Work Colleges' in Cities Become a Low-Cost, High-Value Model for the Future?

Delece Smith-Barrow

July 26, 2018 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Dallas' Paul Quinn College is changing the dated perception of work colleges. At the first urban and historically black work college, students are graded on both academic and workforce performance. In the next few years, Paul Quinn hopes to expand its model into a national network of schools, with the goal of introducing students to corporate connections and offering an alternative to overwhelming student debt.

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How 3,000 streetlights turned San Diego into America's smartest city

John R. Quain

July 25, 2018 |

Digital Trends |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

A municipality’s ability to collect data and implement small changes can mean cost savings, increased efficiency, and improvements to daily life. By incorporating the ‘internet of things’ into thousands of streetlights, San Diego is able to collect and disseminate data on street usage, parking spots, and traffic optimization.

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L.A. Offers a Tax Break for Urban Farming—But No One's Taking It

Ludwig Hurtado

July 24, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In 2014, the California legislature passed legislation to create the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones (UAIZ), offering tax breaks to landowners to turn their vacant lots into community farms. However, the legislation has failed to create any kind of community impact: only 4 lots have received the tax break in the 4 years that the program has existed. Landowners have been disincentivized by five-year lending terms and insufficient implementation.

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A simple solution to help cities fight overheating: more trees

Adele Peters

July 20, 2018 |

FastCompany |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Trees are an effective bulwark against summer heat, providing shade and cooling the air as water evaporates from leaves. A collaborative project mapped heat and other considerations in Dallas and picked the neighborhood of Oak Cliff to plant more than 1,000 trees. The ultimate goal is to revegetate the entire city.

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The Private Cities of Honduras

Luis Fajardo

July 18, 2018 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Honduras, San Pedro Sula

To attract foreign investment, Honduras is creating privatized cities with Western-style laws and foreign judges. The development initiative is bringing in money and creating jobs, but the enclaves are tailored to please private companies and may undermine Honduran sovereignty and social cohesion.

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Design as Democracy: Barcelona's ‘Carritos' Encourage a More Inclusive Urbanism

David de la Peña

July 16, 2018 |

TheCityFix |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Spain, Barcelona

Urban planners in Barcelona have a new way to engage locals who want a voice in urban design. Carritos, or mobile carts, are traveling to public spaces to draw in people who can share their opinions on development projects. This especially helps get feedback from those who do not have time to attend traditional city planning meetings. The goal is to make city planning a more inclusive space.

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Finding the Untapped Potential of Alleys

Lynn Freehill-Maye

July 13, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

Redesigning an alley expands commercial space and brings life to a city. Long-neglected side streets across the United States are getting makeovers both by citizens and developers. Miami’s Jade Alley is a particularly showy example with its archways, flowering trees, ice cream shop, and lingerie boutique.

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Bugs and Birds: New Residents of a Greener Madrid

Jaime Velazquez

July 13, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Spain, Madrid

With a little strategic planning, cities can nurture biodiversity in the urban environment. “Sometimes, small actions can bring incredible results,” says Antonio Morcillo, deputy director for conservation of green areas and urban trees in Madrid. The city is allowing the Manzanares River to flow, spontaneous vegetation to grow, and opening hundreds of birdhouses and insect hotels to counteract habitat loss.

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One Woman's Quest to Fight Gentrification by Asking Residents How

J. Brian Charles

July 05, 2018 |

Governing |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

Even as cities fight gentrification, residents are often consulted late in urban planning, if at all. Cat Goughnour is pushing for change in Portland. Her consulting group ran a series of workshops, resulting in community-generated ideas for improving the Albina neighborhood that wouldn’t displace longtime residents.

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How philanthropy breathed new life into a forgotten Salford suburb

Helen Pidd

July 04, 2018 |

The Guardian |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Salford

A multi-millionaire has poured money into his home suburb of Irlam, buying up empty stores, funding public art projects, and supporting the town center, sports center, health clinic, and train station. Employment is up, but this model of urban renewal raises ethical questions and may not be easily replicable.

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