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Building Trust

Megan Kimble

April 07, 2020 |

Texas Observer |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

The Houston Community Land Trust (CLT) is a nonprofit that sells affordable homes in Houston to help resist gentrification. They keep it affordable by only selling the houses on top of the land and not the land itself. Their goal to build or convert 1,100 homes into the trust over five years, which essentially allows prospective homeowners to turn their land over to the community so that everyone benefits from the purchase. They are already underway on this goal, and this article features many voices of residents who personally benefitted from the CLT.

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Housing rents in big cities: What happens if we regulate them?

Pablo Jiménez Arandia

March 23, 2020 |

Global Government Forum |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

Rising rents are being addressed through a variety of interventions in cities around the world. While rent control has worked in some cities, it has been a lesson of what does not work for others. Policies to keep rent affordable have included negotiations between tenants and landlords, limiting price increases, and even freezing rents. The effects - both long and short term - of these measures have all depended on the fluctuating variables in each city.

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As Seattle Seeks to Tax Amazon (Again), What Can It Learn From California?

Gregory Scruggs

January 24, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

In 2018, a per-employee tax levied on Amazon and other Seattle businesses making over $20 million a year was struck down by council members with unfavorable polling. In 2020, that same referendum is being brought back to life with renewed support. This article compares Seattle's past failures to San Francisco's current success in implementing a tax inspired by Seattle's. The processes differ in many areas, and this article considers what would happen if Seattle now followed someone else's lead.

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Tenants Organize to Keep Building Affordable Through Nonprofit Purchase

Laura Wenus

December 20, 2019 |

San Francisco Public Press |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Affordable housing in San Francisco is becoming more and more unattainable. When the landlord tried to change its status to not be rent-controlled to not, a group of residents at said building banded together with a nonprofit to preserve the building. A nonprofit, the Mission Economic Development Agency, bought the property from the landlord so that its residents could maintain their rent in a very expensive city. Organizations like MEDA are key to helping the city and its residents transition over time to ownership.

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Rwanda invests in model villages to tackle poverty

Tara Heidger

November 13, 2019 |

News Decoder |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Rwanda

Rwanda is taking a controversial approach to tackling poverty within its borders—literally moving people from rural areas into model villages. On one hand, it alleviates the first markers of poverty: having a roof over one's head, access to infrastructure, running water, etc. But on the other hand, the people moved do not have a choice in the matter and now have to figure out how to build a life in a new community. Some villages have turned out to be more successful than others.

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A New Housing Program to Fight Poverty has an Unexpected History

Scott Michels

October 22, 2019 |

Retro Report |

Documentary |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

The long-term results of the Gautreaux program, which was intended to reduce poverty, show upward mobility for children of families that were involved in the initiative. The experiment in desegregating neighborhoods led to the relocation of families from public housing projects to suburban neighborhoods which have vital resources like quality education, proximity to jobs, and public safety. Reducing the concentration of poverty from inner cities led to fewer social problems, with the exception of racism faced by the new Black residents in predominantly white neighborhoods.

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The Doomed 1970s Plan to Desegregate New York's Suburbs

Lizabeth Cohen

October 21, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

A plan forged in New York City suburbs in the 1970s addressed urban renewal and income inequality by creating low-income housing dwellings in nine separate towns outside of the city. Though the "Fair Share" program faced long-lasting criticism and ultimately failed, housing experts and developers still learn from the failed plan as they work toward urban renewal in the 21st century.

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Everybody Needs a Home

David Byrne

September 25, 2019 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The Housing First model proposes finding homes for the unhoused without requiring employment, stability, or sobriety in order to qualify. Getting people off the street first and then helping them stay there through various services has been shown to be a successful approach to alleviating homelessness. Proponents of the model argue that having housing provides a foundation that allows people to remain sober, take medications, work, and function - all of which is more difficult to do consistently when sleeping on the streets or in a shelter.

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Community hopes 'Purpose Built' revitalization model enlivens into Ridgecrest neighborhood

Krista Johnson

September 20, 2019 |

The Montgomery Advertiser |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Woodlawn, Alabama

Eighteen "purpose built communities" across America have revitalized neighborhoods through a comprehensive approach that includes building mixed-income housing, providing better educational opportunities and offering health and wellness services. The model focuses on establishing a strong "cradle-to-college education pipeline" which attracts upper-income families and creates socio-economic diversity. Community centers, green spaces, and grocery stores all revitalize and bring new development to these neighborhoods. Rivercrest, a neighborhood in Montgomery, Alabama is seeking to replicate the model.

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Breaking the cycle of poverty: Cambridge housing program prepares young residents for college - The Boston Globe

Alison Kuznitz

September 08, 2019 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

A program run by the Cambridge Housing Authority that provides wraparound support to students in eighth grade through sophomore year of college has helped two-thirds of program alumni move out of the city's public housing. Classes and mentoring sessions focus on career preparation, job training, healthy relationships, and financial literacy.

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