San Jose is the tenth largest city in the United States and the third largest city in California. For a city and surrounding suburbs supporting 1.8 million residents in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose maintains a hyper-local, neighborhood vibrancy, even with 19 separate school districts that comprise a total of 103 schools. Though … Continued
Over the past decade, there has been growing recognition of the societal, human and financial costs of mass incarceration. This is particularly true in Los Angeles County, where more than 17,000 men and women comprise the largest jail population in the nation. Recognizing the implications of managing a system of this magnitude, L.A. County is … Continued
Denver’s population is just over 700,000. More than 100,000 people have moved to the city in the last seven years alone. With increasing job opportunities, a vibrant community, and diverse neighborhoods, the Mile High City has bloomed into an attractive urban destination. To accommodate the influx of new residents and public transit riders, the city … Continued
Across the country, a growing segment of the population has been struggling to gain a foothold. For people with histories of homelessness, incarceration, substance abuse, mental health challenges, limited education and low-income, finding a job in an increasingly high-skilled labor force is proving to be more difficult. According to a 2017 report by McKinsey & Co, almost … Continued
More than 250 students were gathered at the Bob Hope Theater on January 16, waiting for Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs to make an announcement about the future of their education. Before Tubbs took the stage, motivational speaker Amanda King addressed the crowd. “How many of you are planning to go to college?” she asked. Nearly … Continued
City leaders from across the country convened last week at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, pledging to work together in a bipartisan fashion on the most critical issues that affect the communities they serve. Over the course of three days in Washington D.C., more than 250 mayors addressed a broad range of issues, including immigration, … Continued
As cities face ever-changing challenges, civic leaders from across different sectors and industries are finding new ways to take them on. At the recent Meeting of the Minds summit, a group of leaders from local government agencies, corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and academia came together during a lively discussion to share what they’ve learned. We asked the … Continued
Chris Hornstein began his fellowship in Pittsburgh two months ago, and he’s already well on his way to designing a systemic approach to developing a strategic plan for clean, safe, and functional public facilities. It’s become clear at the outset that collaboration is going to be imperative in getting any traction on this project, as is … Continued
What makes a community flourish? It’s a subjective question, and the answer depends on what each community needs. But even weighing the many variables from city to city, a few universal themes emerged at the NationSwell Summit Roadmap to the Future, a recent gathering of civic leaders who had assembled to share proven solutions. These tactical … Continued