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Cities Are Boosting the Economy by Rewarding Those Who Shop Local

Sakshi Udavant

June 03, 2021 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Akron, Ohio

Akron, Ohio, is “creating a circular economy” in hopes of helping small businesses and encouraging residents to shop locally. A city-sponsored app, Akronite, is used by consumers to make purchases and earn reward points which can be redeemed for discounts and other perks. The app’s success is clear in the high return on investment, which shows $9 generated for every dollar invested by the local government. Other cities across the country are also adopting the initiative, tweaking it to their own communities.

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Africa's Solar Street Lights Offer Glimmer of Potential

Marianne Dhenin

May 04, 2021 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Jinja City

Solar-powered street lights have replaced the shoddy conventional lighting in Jinja City, Uganda. Solar-powered panels and batteries power lighting that is not only cheaper but is also more reliable and has resulted in social and economic benefits too. Safer streets, higher business revenue for businesses that can operate at night, and a boost in the tourism industry are just a few of the positive outcomes.

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Want to Move to Our Town? Here's $10,000 and a Free Bike.

Alyson Krueger

April 30, 2021 |

The New York Times |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Bentonville, Arkansas

Several American cities are attracting potential residents with stipends for down payments and curated experiences for the new transplants. With remote work on the rise, people have more flexibility in choosing a place to live. New residents that purchase homes and remain long-term have the potential to give smaller cities and towns an economic and social boost.

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Midwest cities look to 'pay to move' programs to attract remote workers

Celisa Calacal

March 10, 2021 |

The Kansas City Beacon |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Topeka, Kansas

In a bid to revitalize the local economy, Topeka, Kansas is attracting residents through the Choose Topeka program. The city is paying up to $10,000 for remote workers who move to Topeka. Other Midwestern cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma, have successfully launched similar programs with a retention rate of 90 percent of applicants who stay beyond the first year. The program seeks to strengthen the economic and social fabric of the city.

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Does a Complete Streets policy really make a difference?

Cheryl Splain

March 06, 2021 |

Knox Pages |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Mount Vernon, Ohio

Complete Streets initiatives promote traffic and pedestrian safety In 400 communities across the United States. The goal of the program is to help residents live more active and healthy lifestyles while also making communities more attractive to potential residents. The initiative has resulted in higher property values, increased consumer spending, and better transportation options.

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Plan to beautify 50 vacant lots falls short nearly two years later

Manny Ramos

February 07, 2021 |

Chicago Sun-Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Since June 2019, Chicago's Grounds for Peace pilot project has begun cleaning up vacant, city-owned lots using an approach to urban beautification that has been shown in other cities, and in one Chicago neighborhood, to reduce crime and boost residents' feelings of safety. While the city and its contractors consider the project a success in the making, thus far only two of the original 50 targeted lots show signs of improvement. Project leaders blame funding shortfalls, disruptions due to the pandemic, and difficulties in removing abandoned vehicles.

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The Sausage-Making to Revive a Black-owned Sausage Factory in New Orleans

Oscar Perry Abello

January 14, 2021 |

Next City |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

Community land trusts typically provide affordable housing but now one is responsible for the revival of a family business in New Orleans. Commercial community land trusts are emerging as viable solutions for tenants being displaced by higher rents as well as the revitalization of historically Black centers of commerce. Commercial land trusts are an avenue for the Black community to have “economic self-determination.”

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A sustainable refocus helps a historic Chicago community rebuild

Audrey F. Henderson

December 02, 2020 |

Energy News Network |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Green developement has breathed new life into a once-declining town that suffered from the exodus of manufacturers. A comprehensive 10-year plan revitalized the local economy of Pullman, creating jobs and bringing new manufacturers into its abandoned buildings. Housing, transportation, public safety, and recreation were also part of the plan which was funded by tax increment financing in addition to federal funding and investments from companies located there.

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Seattle's urban farmers are reclaiming public space

Hannah Weinberger

November 17, 2020 |

Crosscut |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Seattle’s urban agriculture community saw a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. BIPOC-led urban farms — like YES Farm and Black Star Farmers — had an increase in volunteers and people wanting to help provide food security, agricultural education, and land access to communities who don’t have their basic needs met. In the first half of 2020, the city of Seattle assigned plots of land to 439 new gardeners to pursue urban farming, with nearly half of them going to underrepresented populations.

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Disinvested: How Government and Private Industry Let the Main Street of a Black Neighborhood Crumble

Tony Briscoe Haru Coryne Mick Dumke

November 11, 2020 |

ProPublica |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

A series of government programs designed to rebuild a neighborhood badly damaged by the 1968 Chicago uprising not only failed to achieve their goal, but actually made it worse. Hundreds of businesses in the Madison Street area of Chicago's West side were destroyed in days of rioting. Programs that emphasized clearing "blight" over building anew left vacant lots where new businesses might have emerged. Overall, "efforts turned out to be too scattered, too small and too susceptible to shifting politics to make a lasting impact," while opportunistic businesses cashed in without improving conditions.

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