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In Medellin, cable cars transformed slums—in Rio, they made them worse

Anoush Darabi

January 10, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

In the 20th century, Colombia’s city of Medellin was a center for drugs and violence. Then the city developed a cable car system that enabled cheap transportation for people to find employment. The cable car system revitalized the economy of the city and made it much safer. However, other cities have tried cable cars for revitalization and found less success, even failure.

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These Planners Stepped Away From the Spreadsheets and Into the Community

Oscar Perry Abello

December 06, 2017 |

Next City |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

The Regional Plan Association is a research and urban planning organization. They are deeply influential in the urban planning in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut metropolitan area. The regional planning process has historically represented the needs of mostly white, affluent people, so this time RPA partnered with eight grassroots organizations, and involved immigrants from Long Island to take part in the regional planning process through focus groups, surveys, and discussions. As many as 1,600 people were engaged.

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

Amy Westervelt

November 28, 2017 |

Mountain Independent |

Text |

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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In a City Where 15 Percent of Voters Elected the Mayor, Downtown Is Claiming Power

Sara Vigneri

November 06, 2017 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Allentown, Pennsylvania

POWER Northeast is trying to fight against voter disenchantment and reach the parts of the community that usually feel excluded and disillusioned by politics. This organization goes all over Allentown, Pennsylvania speaking to the formally incarcerated and minorities, advocating to political leaders on behalf of the public, and helping make voter registration easier.

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From ‘hallway' to artery, a town rebuilds Main Street

John Miller

October 31, 2017 |

High Country News |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Farmington, New Mexico

Small towns like Farmington, New Mexico take advantage of federal funds from Main Street America and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Act in order to revitalize their town centers and boost their local economies. Farmington, which saw an economic decline surrounding the coal & mining industry, has been able to use money to repair store fronts, replace water systems, and more.

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Chicago Designer Offers a Model for Repurposing Closed Public Schools

Nina Feldman

October 27, 2017 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

In the aftermath of Chicago closing almost 50 public schools, urban designers are testing creative uses to keep the buildings functioning as community spaces. Overton Elementary is being transformed into the Overton Business and Technology Incubator, a space for local businesses. The developer is deliberately working with locals to involve the neighborhood in the building process and keep the space accessible to the community.

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Why Tearing Down Dams Could Help Save Endangered Killer Whales

Hanna Brooks Olsen

September 25, 2017 |

News Deeply |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

The population of Orca's is declining and a large portion of pregnancies are ending in miscarriage due to a decline in their food source- Chinook salmon. Taking down Hells Canyon dams, which disrupt the migration patterns of salmon, would help this problem as would decreasing detrimental human activity such as deforestation and boating.

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How good government can limit hurricane damage

Gregory Scruggs

September 07, 2017 |

Reuters |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

A look at how improved policies and procedures can help prevent the catastrophic amounts of property damage caused by the increasingly frequent "super storms" like hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Cities like New York and Philadelphia may offer creative development models that coastal cities in the path of future storms can emulate.

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The Social Wall: How one Berlin school integrated by segregating

Kevin McCorry

August 29, 2017 |

Keystone Crossroads |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin, Berlin

A progressive funding model has been a boon to schools in Berlin’s poorer neighborhoods, which receive a baseline of staff and resources. But schools in poorer neighborhoods face a myriad of struggles that additional resources haven’t been able to quell, due to the deep socioeconomic disparities between the home neighborhoods of wealthy and poor students. However, one elementary school seems to have succeeded in desegregating students by offering a choice of academic tracks.

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Could underwater garages solve Boston's parking shortage?

Matt Rocheleau

August 22, 2017 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Boston needs more parking spaces, especially in a neighborhood surrounded by water. It is looking to build an underwater parking garage, like the ones being built in Amsterdam, in order to free up street level space and add more parking to decrease car pollution from driving around searching for a parking spot.

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