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California Just Legalized Public Banks. Will the Rest of the Nation Follow Suit?

Ananya Garg

October 04, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

In California, Governor Newsom recently signed into law a regulatory framework for public banking in the state. Public banking, a concept not without its detractors, has been established successfully in North Dakota and California hopes to follow suit to tamp down on frustrations that big banking institutions put profits over social good. Supporters of public banks see them as a tool to create positive community change and support historically marginalized groups.

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Finding Home: When Eviction Looms, Landlords Have Lawyers. Now More Tenants Do, Too.

Mary Newsom

September 30, 2019 |

WFAE |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

In North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County, they’ve allocated funding for tenants to have access to free legal aid, provided by Legal Aid of North Carolina, in their eviction cases. With eviction often being the start of a downward spiral, having legal representation can help people prevent or delay their evictions. Beyond funding some legal aid, the courthouse also provides residents with information about evictions and their specialty eviction court.

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Should Calgary have free-fare transit?

Hadeel Abdel-Nabi

September 24, 2019 |

The Sprawl |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Calgary, Alberta

Though Calgary already goes further than some cities in the public transportation sphere by offering a free-fare downtown zone, other cities that offer free transportation -- often through added taxes -- have seen drastic decreases in carbon emissions and cars on the city streets. One of these cities, Tallinn, Estonia, saw a 10% reduction in cars in the city center after introducing a free public transit system.

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CT's small solutions to climate change: South Windsor goes solar

Jan Ellen Spiegel

September 19, 2019 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, South Windsor, Connecticut

The town of South Windsor, Connecticut, is committed to reducing energy use and costs by going all-in on solar power. By incorporating solar into five of the town's schools, South Windsor will save an estimated $100,000 annually.

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New York providers credit ‘aftercare' for helping youths transition home

Allison Dikanovic

September 16, 2019 |

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York has taken great strides in reforming their juvenile justice system, and key to that has been ensuring that those in the system receive ongoing support once they return to their communities. Organizations like Arches work with probation officers to provide young people with therapy and mentors – whose lives have been similar to their mentees – in order to provide the needed support and guidance. Such programs have shown lowered recidivism rates and have garnered the attention of officials in Milwaukee who are seeking to makeover their system.

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This Man Says His Anti-violence Plan Would Save 12,000 Lives

Mark Obbie

September 11, 2019 |

The Atlantic |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Buffalo, New York

With support for a New York-based grant program, Buffalo has been trying various evidence-based approaches to decrease violence, especially gun violence, in the city. The grant program, Gun Involved Violence Elimination, or GIVE, provides funding for police departments to adopt strategies like hot-spot policing, deterring those most at-risk, or street outreach to break the cycle of violence. While such strategies are linked to success, the process of implementing them, gaining support and trust from the community, and waiting for long-term change has proven challenging.

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How New York and Milwaukee approach juvenile justice

Allison Dikanovic

September 09, 2019 |

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York’s Close to Home legislation approaches the juvenile justice system through the lens of rehabilitation, moving those in up-state juvenile facilities to local, sometimes residential housing that emphasizes family and community. The approach has led to a 71% decrease in the number of youth placed in these facilities and a drastic increase in academic performance. Halfway across the country, as Wisconsin closes two of its upstate juvenile facilities, Milwaukee legislators are seeking to implement similar, community-centered programming.

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How Singapore is reshaping the civil service with robots

Medha Basu

September 04, 2019 |

GovInsider |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Singapore

Automating repetitive tasks allows civil servants to manage often tedious and high-volume workloads. By introducing forms of automated technology that are already common in the public sector, Singapore has updated its government agencies, allowing civil servants to focus on higher-order tasks. Bots help with services such as payroll, emails, and reconciling budgets.

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West Marin tenants benefit from second-unit program

Richard Halstead

August 24, 2019 |

Marin Independent Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Marin, California

A program run by the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin uses government vouchers to encourage landlords to create additional affordable housing units with extra rooms in their home. The program, which primarily focuses on "junior accessory dwelling units" that offer small but low-price units to individuals, has created 22 affordable units over the last three years.

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Got a parking ticket? In some cities, you can pay for it with school supplies or cat food.

Marisa Iati

August 13, 2019 |

The Washington Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Muncie, Indiana

Across the United States, cities are letting residents pay off their parking tickets with donations to local organizations. For set periods of time, cities like Muncie and Las Vegas write off traffic tickets – as long as they aren’t related to public safety – when residents donate things like cat food to the local cat shelter, or school supplies to educational organizations. The initiatives have been such a success that people from around the country are sending in their donations, even without the trade-off of a paid parking ticket.

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