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Syracuse Couldn't Fine Its Way to Clear Sidewalks, So It's Trying Something New

Cinnamon Janzer

April 14, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Syracuse, New York

The city of Syracuse is taking matters into its own hands, where it comes to snow removal. Relying on residents to remove snow from sidewalks wasn’t effective so the city is removing snow itself and levying a fee for property owners.

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This Real Estate Co-Op is Looking for Investors Who Want to Put Community First

Oscar Perry Abello

April 13, 2021 |

Next City |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

The 2012 federal JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) took some time to gain traction, but in recent years it has democratized the financing of worker-owned co-ops and other community-based entities that ordinarily would be frozen out of capital markets. By making possible what is called a direct public offering, the law has made it easier to finance businesses that promise greater social benefits than just profit maximization, by opening investment opportunities to a more diverse and egalitarian mix of investors.

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This Sacramento-area city is paying homeless people to clean up camps — and it's paying off

Vincent Moleski

April 07, 2021 |

Sacramento Bee |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Elk Grove, California

Residents experiencing homelessness in Elk Grove, California, are being paid to clean up their encampments. The job was done by public services employees prior to the pandemic and cost the city upwards of $10,000. Now, the city is saving money while providing residents with gift cards that allow them to purchase basic necessities such as hygiene products and food.

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The Clever Architectural Feature That Makes Life on Bermuda Possible

Luke Fater

March 31, 2021 |

Atlas Obscura |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bermuda

There is no natural freshwater source on Bermuda, so residents turn to rainfall as a way to fulfill their water needs. The white limestone Bermuda roofs are used to catch and redirect rain into underground tanks that serve as their primary source of freshwater. Droughts happen, which has led to other solutions, but the limestone roofs are still primarily their largest source of freshwater.

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In Denver, Tiny Homes Take On Affordable Housing

Mona Dougani

March 26, 2021 |

QNotes Carolinas |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

Denver's Beloved Community Village is a development of 20 "tiny houses," affordable single-family homes that have helped residents obtain stable housing at rates that allow them to get ahead financially. Charlotte would have to change its zoning laws, and some residents' attitudes, to allow for such a hedge against homelessless. Those changes are possible, but will take time and much effort.

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How scientists scrambled to stop Donald Trump's EPA from wiping out climate data

Justine Calma

March 08, 2021 |

The Verge |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

The Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, with the help of scientists, academics, and other volunteers, preserved EPA data and information that the Trump administration sought to erase. They held “guerrilla archiving” events to identify and save data, manually backing it up when necessary. They made data more accessible by creating congressional district “report cards” showing where environmental law violations occurred. To preserve institutional knowledge, they published interviews with 60 federal scientists who left the agency. In total, over 200 TB of data was archived in less than a year.

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Unbuilding the future: how a young industry is turning yesterday's materials into tomorrow's buildings

Jimmy Thomson

February 27, 2021 |

Capital Daily |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

An alternative to demolition - deconstruction - is the disassembly of old houses to reuse wood for new construction. “Old-growth lumber from big old trees” can be reused, diverting tons of material from landfills. The process can divert 95 percent of the material that would typically go to waste and end up in landfills. Some cities, like Portland, have successfully passed ordinances that require the deconstruction of buildings older than a century, making the market more competitive for the industry.

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Seattle Bets on Equitable Development

Isabella Garcia

February 17, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

An Equitable Development Initiative was launched as a result of a racial equity analysis that gauged the effect that Seattle’s economic growth would have on communities of color. Funding for the initiative has gone toward capital for these communities to purchase real estate and develop projects that build up affordable housing, child care, food security, and other issues that would best serve longtime residents and prevent gentrification.

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Vermont Plans to Send Cash to Immigrant Farmworkers Left Out of Stimulus

Elizabeth Hewitt

February 04, 2021 |

Civil Eats |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Vermont

Vermont approved coronavirus relief funding for immigrants who did not qualify for federal aid in the first round of the CARES Act. Migrant farm workers play a vital role in Vermont’s dairy industry and were hailed as essential workers who ensured a functioning local food supply during the pandemic. Undocumented immigrants have disproportionately been affected by the pandemic, but the majority of states have not provided this demographic with a financial security net.

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This L.A. project shows that homeless housing can be done quickly and cheaply

Doug Smith

January 18, 2021 |

Los Angeles Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

A housing complex in Los Angeles was approved and constructed with unprecedented speed and at a much lower cost than traditional homeless housing projects. Using up-cycled shipping containers, the project will include amenities such as bathrooms and refrigerators for each room. Teamwork and collective action from the county’s public works department resulted in the successful project.

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