The Atlantic
1 March 2017
Text / Under 800 Words
La Paz, Bolivia
In La Paz, local government is using people dressed in zebra costumes to direct traffic and change the behavior of people who break the rules. La Paz borrowed the idea from Antanas Mockus, the former mayor of Bogota, who discovered that people are more afraid of being ridiculed than being punished. Through humor, the method has improved driving and people's moods on the streets, hospitals, and schools.
https://www.pbs.org/show/180-days
Sam Chaltain
PBS
17 March 2015
Broadcast TV News / Over 15 Minutes
Harsville, South Carolina is trying to better its educational program. But first it must change the standard of living in the town to provide greater examples of success for the children to follow.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/a-chance-to-go-from-hard-lives-to-healing
Patricia Leigh Brown
The New York Times
18 September 2014
Text / 1500-3000 Words
A novel way to help young men growing up in communities in which concentrated poverty, violence and unemployment are well-documented barriers to health and longevity: male youth of color are trained to be the emergency response team to help stabilize street victims before doctors or nurses begin procedures.
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/a_new_model_of_school_reform
Jeremy Adam Smith
Greater Good Magazine
21 May 2014
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is transforming educational systems in Oakland by forming mentor relationships between adults and students. Unlike other models, though, the adults are the ones held accountable.
http://news.yahoo.com/battling-america-s-other-ptsd-crisis-194336514.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma
Tina Rosenberg
Yahoo! News
6 March 2015
Text / Over 3000 Words
A program in Philadelphia is pioneering new ways to treat the urban wounded. By seeing it as PTSD, and not pointing fingers, the city is using mental health tools to decrease violence and heal communities.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/08/can-you-fight-poverty-by-paying-kids-to-go-to-school-109962.html#.VYmDrPlVikp
Glenn Thrush
Politico
12 August 2014
Text / Over 3000 Words
In an effort to break the cycle of poverty in Memphis, a government organization is using conditional cash transfers, paying students if they earn good grades and adults if they maintain a full-time job.
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/newark-valentine-sale-vacant-lots
Cassie Owens
Next City
16 February 2015
Text / 800-1500 Words
As a blight-reduction and urban-development effort, the city of Newark sold bare lots in a distressed area to families willing to build a house and live in it for five years.
http://www.fayobserver.com/a9f5d553-c59b-5643-9b12-55aca76dde64.html
Greg Barnes
Fayetteville Observer
22 February 2014
Text / Under 800 Words
In Memphis, a creative blight-reduction initiative called 25 Square Blocks broke down the city into blocks. Inspectors were able to quickly identify all the violations and fix them, using the same amount of funding, but less time, as the old call-and-respond model.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/foreclosure-is-not-an-option
David Bornstein
The New York Times
6 December 2010
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Foreclosure affects millions of homeowners and millions more owe more on their mortgages than what their homes are worth, but Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP), offers assistance. As a free service to borrowers, ESOP holds lenders accountable with fair lending agreements, creates constructive communication, and ultimately saves homes.
http://nextcity.org/features/view/hot-crowded-and-smart-san-antonio-water-system-drought
Sarah Goodyear
Next City
22 July 2013
Text / Over 3000 Words
For the past three years, water levels in the San Antonio Edwards Aquifer have decreased to uncomfortable levels and drought periods may continue as the population booms. The San Antonio Water System organization has set up rules to limit water use and has recycled water for conservation frugal innovation.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/12/louisville-heat-tree-cover-113424.html#.VYmlw_lViko
Erica Peterson
Politico
9 December 2014
Text / Over 3000 Words
Although residents turn up their air conditioners, Louisville heat is increasing the city’s death rate by 39 people every year. The city mayor launched a tree commission for planting more trees and since 2011 has planted over 12,000 trees. The canopies from the tree offer cooling shade and bring down the temperature of the city as a whole. The response also includes the installation of green roofs and in-depth research on urban heat islands.
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