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The Rent Is Now Somewhat Less High in Paris

Feargus O'Sullivan

August 03, 2016 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

France’s cities, including Paris, are among the world’s most expensive to live in. In 2015, France passed rent control laws that restrict outlandish rent increases through the Rent Observatory that oversees the different zones and contracts, as well as a website that tells residents if their prospective landlords are charging too much. One year later, the regulations have been effective at controlling the rent by 30% in Paris.

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Seattle-area Somali community unites to embrace state's new child-care standards

John Higgins

July 09, 2016 |

The Seattle Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

When Washington state introduced higher standards for child care, many feared that home-based centers, including those run by women from Somalia, would close. But a group spearheaded by nonprofit Voices of Tomorrow arranged for training and materials in East African languages, helping a stunning 94 percent of providers to acquire the necessary license and to keep their centers - vital especially for low-income, immigrant families - open for business.

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How Vermont changed the national GMO-labeling debate

Lonnie Shekhtman

July 08, 2016 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Albuquerque, Vermont

Vermont's passage of a law requiring food that is genetically modified to be labeled spurred action at the national level to create one standard, rather than a patchwork of state laws, that offers food companies several ways to label foods with GMOs. The national bill did eventually pass, but as this piece illustrates, no one seems very happy about it. Environmentalists feel it leaves large loopholes and while the food industry likes one standard, it does not like the stigma the GMO label confers.

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Ugly Is the New Look for Cigarette Packs

Tina Rosenberg

July 05, 2016 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

During the twentieth century, imagery on cigarette packs communicated that smoking was cool and young, and it encouraged young people, as well as adults, to smoke. In 2012, Australia started “unbranding the pack,” which standardized cigarettes without a brand and showed the physically gruesome effects of smoking with health factoids on the packaging. Since then, the World Health Organization has recommended this new kind of packaging and the idea has spread to other countries to scale the success.

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The people trying to save democracy from itself

Patrick Chalmers

July 02, 2016 |

The Guardian |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

Low voter turnouts, populists offering half-truths, corporate interests, and the blurring of facts in the media are signs that democracy around the world is in turmoil. Internationally, citizens have assembled different programs and initiatives that arm ordinary people with information about policy and their elected officials, as well as distinctive ways to reform the electoral system.

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Tiny Interventions Can Help Reverse Our Sky-High College Dropout Rate

Ben Paynter

June 30, 2016 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

The rate of students dropping out of college or failing to complete their degree in the allotted time has soared in the United States, and experts are discovering that one of the causes is simply that students feel isolated, discouraged, and overwhelmed. A study by Ideas42 across a number of universities revealed that fairly simple behavioral "nudging" - or the process of providing tiny but regular interventions and encouragement through systems like text messages - can have a drastic impact on a student's likelihood of success.

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For Nonprofits Tackling Poverty, Collaboration Remains Important Hurdle

Kavitha Cardoza

June 30, 2016 |

American University Radio (WAMU) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Fort Worth, Texas

Padua Project is an innovative program that has a goal of getting poor people out of poverty in three years with a job, three months’ savings and off government assistance. Its unusual success involved a collaboration with other social services organizations. Overcoming the big challenge of this collaboration is an important learning tool to scale similar initiatives.

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#SeaHomeless: Finding affordable, innovative ways to harness technology to combat homelessness

Lisa Stiffler

June 29, 2016 |

GeekWire |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

The homeless population in Seattle is in a crisis of high proportions, with people facing a myriad of challenges. Different organizations have started to better integrate technology such as social media in addressing some of these issues, transitioning away from the paper-heavy systems may hold them back from maximum efficiency in their mission and leveraging digital tools to better reach those in need.

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Policing the Police

Jelani Cobb Anya Bourg

June 28, 2016 |

PBS Frontline |

Broadcast TV Programs |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Newark, New Jersey

The Department of Justice has ordered the Newark Police Department to make reforms to its policing practices, so that public safety will not compromise the human rights. An investigation into the NPD has shown that officers made too many undocumented stops and used unjustified excessive force, resulting in community mistrust. The Newark mayor has begun re-training the police force, reworked standards for punishing police misconduct, advocated body cameras, and civilian oversight of the police department – all of which has started to improve community relations and build trust.

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11,341 Rape Kits Were Collected and Forgotten in Detroit. This Is the Story of One of Them.

Anna Clark

June 23, 2016 |

ELLE Magazine |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

In the past six years, backlogs of untested rape kits have been discovered across the country. Under the leadership of county prosecutor Kym Worthy, Detroit saw the nation's most ambitious—and effective—response to its backlog.

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