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Strict landlord oversight in Minnesota offers Baltimore a model

Doug Donovan

December 17, 2017 |

The Baltimore Sun |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis uses a stringent licensing system, which grades rental properties and leverages harsh punishments for landlords who rent out "subpar" properties, to improve living conditions for tenants. The approach has been recommended to Baltimore, which has historically been more lenient, but the strategy has also been accused of reducing affordable housing options and leaving tenants with few options if their landlord's license is revoked.

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New, $1 billion program will bring rooftop solar to California renters

Katy Murphy

December 16, 2017 |

San Jose Mercury News |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Sacramento, California

Renewable energy has largely been associate with wealthier consumers, but that is changing with a new initiative that will install solar panels for apartment buildings with low-income residents. The hope is that the money saved from the solar energy panels will benefit the low income residents, while also being beneficial in fighting climate change.

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With few resources, block clubs find ways to stabilize and rejuvenate communities across Detroit

Aaron Mondry

December 11, 2017 |

Model D |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Block clubs act as a more approachable way for residents of a certain area to come together, “and they’re also one of the most essential.” In several neighborhood of Detroit, block clubs have made impactful local changes. From handling safety issues without necessarily involving the police to caring for vacant properties to advocating for brighter street lights, these block clubs are making their communities better.

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Build, flood, rebuild: flood insurance's expensive cycle

David Hunn Ryan Maye Handy James Osborne

December 09, 2017 |

Houston Chronicle |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

What was originally conceived of to help protect homes from flooding has instead trapped homeowners in an endless cycle of filing claims and rebuilding their homes. The National Flood Insurance Program was supposed to discourage development in flooding zones and ease the costs after disasters. With lobbying money and power from developers, realtors associations, and others with vested interests, any opportunity to redesign the system through Congress have haven’t gone far.

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How A Textile Factory Empowers Its All-Blind Work Crew

Alia Stearns

December 05, 2017 |

UPROXX |

Multi-Media |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

A startling 70% of blind persons in the United States are unemployed. The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind is helping shift the understanding of what types of jobs are available to this population with a revolutionary factory built specifically for its blind employees. Each machine is retrofitted to be used safely and easily, empowering individuals to become more independent. This video takes you inside the factory to meet some of the workers.

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Day care and mud guards: How health officials are building a firewall against deadly burns

Joanne Silberner

November 30, 2017 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

After studying where and how severe burns were happening to people in developing countries like Bangladesh and Nepal, it became clear what was needed for effective prevention. Inexpensive day care got children out of the home during the day when supervision could be lax, and mud walls around ground cooking fires provided additional household safety.

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Tahoe's Hot Commodities: Unraveling Decades of Development to Protect the Future

Amy Westervelt

November 28, 2017 |

Mountain Independent |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tahoe City, California

Lake Tahoe has been revered by planners as an area whose poor development was successfully halted with the creation of the Tahoe Regional Planning Association (TRPA). Now the TRPA has brought together a development rights working group to update how the land is used in order to confront a housing shortage and rules that are not in line with how the lake is used.

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The Airbnb For Affordable Housing Is Here

Katharine Schwab

November 21, 2017 |

FastCompany |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

New app Nesterly seeks to create affordable housing opportunities by pairing elderly residents with rooms to spare in their homes and younger people looking to find an affordable living situation in tightening rental markets. Beyond the app's impact on mitigating the stress of high rent prices for young people, the pairing of young people and elderly people for housing also has potential to help with the country's issue with loneliness.

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Three Underrated Ideas for Preventing Wildfire Devastation

Francie Diep

October 25, 2017 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

As wildfires grow more intense and deadly in California, some experts say previous strategies to save lives and property need to be revamped and they're pushing for changes in policies. Agencies are studying the deadly Tubbs Fire to redraw fire risk maps that take into account the safety of older homes that weren't previously included and pushing for more restrictions on where people can build. Some are also calling for rethinking brush clearance of native plants like chaparral.

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Long-term drug treatment facilities at former Edwin Shaw site aim to fill gaps, prevent relapses

Jim Mackinnon

October 25, 2017 |

Akron Beacon Journal |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Lakemore, Ohio

Two organizations, called Hope United and Restore Addiction Recovery are obtaining land on an old hospital grounds to build long-term treatment facilities for opiate addicts. The idea is that, currently, the longest in-patient treatment programs are only 90 days and addicts need more time than this to recover from their addiction and really get on their feet. These new facilities will be year-long treatment programs and will include support services that continue after discharge, as well.

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