Why Birmingham Is Thriving in a County That's Bankrupt

http://www.citylab.com/work/2016/03/how-birmingham-thrived-bankruptcy-jefferson-county/472617

Scott Latta

CityLab

8 March 2016

Text / 800-1500 Words

In Alabama’s largest city, a story of economic confidence in an unlikely place.

'Open streets' in Pennsylvania's cities: closing streets to cars, opening them to cyclists and salsa lessons

https://whyy.org/articles/open-streets-in-pennsylvanias-cities-closing-streets-to-cars-opening-them-to-cyclists-and-salsa-lessons

Irina Zhorov

WHYY

28 May 2015

Text / Under 800 Words

Bogotá is largely credited with originating the concept of “open streets” —where city roads are closed to car traffic and given over to people for fun and fitness—but it has grown beyond that city, surfacing in Pennsylvania.

The Suburb That Tried To Kill the Car

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/evanston-illinois-what-works-213282

Mark Peterson

Politico

22 October 2015

Text / Over 3000 Words

Cars heavily influence building planning in the U.S. due to a historical preference for suburbs, but a town in Illinois improved its economy by thinking like a city. They created transit-oriented development which prioritizes pedestrians and attracts millennials.

Creating an environment that promotes health

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/health/2016/05/17/creating-environment-promotes-health/84040720

Lindsey Anderson

El Paso Times

18 May 2016

Text / 1500-3000 Words

In an attempt to address liver disease, diabetes, obesity and other health issues, Brownsville has launched a comprehensive, cohesive approach to promoting health, being named a model for other communities across the country.

How One Weekend in Dallas Sparked a Movement for Urban Change

http://nextcity.org/features/view/how-one-weekend-in-dallas-sparked-a-movement-for-urban-change

Mike Lydon

Next City

20 April 2015

Text / Under 800 Words

A Dallas urban neighborhood was dilapidated with abandoned storefronts and offered no vitality for pedestrians. A group of artists and community members created Build a Better Block, in which local artisans and small businesses took over a vacant block and transformed it for a limited time to encourage the ingredients for more permanent urban renewal.

How Seattle Made Dark Alleys Safer—By Throwing Parties In Them

http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/how-seattle-made-dark-alleys-safer-by-throwing-parties-20150826

Araz Hachadourian

Yes! Magazine

26 August 2015

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Alleys in Seattle were once places of illicit, illegal, and unsanitary activity. The International Sustainability Institute in Seattle began organizing music and art events to bring in people, which, in turn, cleaned-up the crime and garbage. As an urban development strategy, adjacent vacant storefronts re-opened for business and beautification could be seen in new gardens.

How to Build a Better Neighborhood

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/18/how-to-build-a-better-neighborhood

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

18 June 2014

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The Oak Cliff neighborhood in Dallas suffered from recession-closed businesses and crime. Then community members used placemaking, in which people shaped their own environment to improve the quality of life, and the concept of Build a Better Block, which was a pop-up event showcasing art, food, music, and local faire. The idea gives citizens a fresh look at the possibilities through which to transform the space in which they live, and it has attracted attention across the country and around the world.

Rebuilding the Rust Belt

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/what-works-cleveland-115324.html#.VYmlrvlViko

Keith Epstein

Politico

19 February 2015

Text / Over 3000 Words

For years, one of Cleveland's poorest neighborhoods seemed unalterable no matter how many government programs and well-meaning philanthropies got involved; a place where abject poverty, joblessness and crime reinforce the racism in a city long divided, and where infants still die at a higher rate than almost anywhere else in the country. But a former CIA executive and a new breed of lettuce are transforming the poorest parts of the Rust Belt city.

Seniors Take Manhattan

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/senior-living-initiatives-ill-take-manhattan-114227#.VYmluvlViko

Debra Bruno

Politico

13 January 2015

Text / Over 3000 Words

Cities tend to be dangerous and difficult places to live for older residents. A private public partnership in New York is catering to seniors through small changes in the city such as para-transit options and seniors-only hours at public establishments.

Another town's experience: Monmouth business contest sparks downtown growth

http://www.journalstandard.com/news/20160813/another-towns-experience-monmouth-business-contest-sparks-downtown-growth

Jillian Duchnowski

The Journal Standard

13 August 2016

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A small town in Illinois came up with a plan for filling its empty downtown storefronts: a competition for entrepreneurs interested in getting their small businesses off the ground. They offered financial incentives like 6 months of free rent, and it worked.