Investing in Food Ecosystem to Provide New Pathways to Employment
In Houston, an estimated 725,000 people are food insecure, 500,000 of whom are living in federally designated districts where the closest supermarket is more than a mile away. These districts are found predominantly in the city’s historically underinvested communities, neighborhoods in which economic inequity has endured for generations. Exacerbating these... Read more
Expanding Digital Access to Increase Educational Outcomes
While access to wifi and high-speed internet are often taken for granted, in Houston, more than 142,500 households do not have a computer, and over 267,000 households lack broadband internet access. These communities are often historically underinvested and present significant hurdles for residents, preventing them from harnessing the power of... Read more
Building Intergenerational Wealth in the Black Community
In 2020, New Orleans marks the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the 10th anniversary of the BP oil spill. From each disaster, the city has rebuilt, but Black residents have been largely left behind, with six times as many Black households living in poverty as white households. These economic... Read more
Targeting Health Inequities for Black Residents
The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) recently conducted a comprehensive community health assessment to gain an inclusive picture of the health status of residents. The assessment revealed five main social determinants of health — crime and violence, insufficient infrastructure, unhealthy environments, lack of jobs and fair wages, and low-quality and... Read more
“Care First, Jails, Last”: Implementing Groundbreaking Alternatives to Incarceration
On any given night, more than 17,000 people are confined in the Los Angeles County jail system, more than 5,000 of whom have serious mental health needs. Black residents account for less than 10 percent of the county’s population, yet 29 percent of those imprisoned are Black. In recent years,... Read more
Implementing the “Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors” Initiative
Oakland is working to reduce racial disparities and promote economic security and opportunity for residents, especially those living in underserved neighborhoods in East Oakland. After partnering and engaging with communities in East Oakland, city officials created the Better Neighborhoods, Same Neighbors plan, which was awarded a $28.2 million multi-year Transformative... Read more
Holding Local Leaders Accountable for Addressing Racial Equity
Oakland leadership seeks to ensure that all departments have the tools and resources needed to track and report on equity-centered targets aligned to key health, climate, and economic indicators. To meet these goals, the city council and mayor want to develop a performance management system, which can also help local... Read more
Increasing Equitable Access to Affordable Utilities for All Angelenos
The L.A. Department of Water and Power (LADWP) provides reliable and safe water and electricity to 4 million residents and businesses, while also striving to provide affordable utilities to the city’s most vulnerable residents. LADWP leadership recognizes that the health and economic crises spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted... Read more
Attracting and Retaining Finance Talent to Improve City Operations
With nearly a third of workers close to retirement, the Los Angeles Office of Finance was seeking new strategies for recruitment and retention of staff, not only to bring in qualified employees but also to build a pipeline within the department of leaders who feel a sense of stewardship over... Read more
Leveraging Technology for Efficient Government Service Delivery
Oakland’s Information Technology Department (ITD) offers advice and support to all city departments so they can better serve residents. FUSE executive fellow Jana Good developed a strategic technology plan for ITD that advances the priorities of the city, while leveraging common technology platforms to ensure holistic, integrated, and extensible solutions.... Read more