Developing Equity-Centered Policies to Reduce Harmful Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The City of Kansas City, like many cities throughout the US, is experiencing the impacts of climate change like never before—through increased temperatures, increased periods of drought, and more frequent flooding. Kansas City generates 18 tons of greenhouse gasses per person (three times the world average). In the early 2000s,... Read more
Catalyzing Innovative Programs and Policy to Restore Food Sovereignty to Birmingham’s Residents
From James Beard award-winning restaurants to the vast Pepper Place Market, where people from across central Alabama convene on weekends to shop for locally grown fruits and vegetables, Birmingham is among the small cities favorited by food lovers and culinary experts across the nation. Unfortunately, not everyone in the city... Read more
Advancing Racial Equity in LA County’s Homeless Services System
Los Angeles County is celebrated for its diverse mix of nationalities, cultures, identities, and languages. This cultural richness is stifled by stark racial and socioeconomic inequities that manifest in disparities in health, economic mobility, housing, and homelessness—particularly for communities of color. Black/African American people made up 40% of the total... Read more
Building the Capacity of Critical Service Providers in Austin’s Homelessness Response System
In the City of Austin, homelessness is a persistent reality that has amounted to a humanitarian challenge. Lack of affordable housing and healthcare, trauma and abuse, and racial inequities are all leading causes of homelessness in Austin. An estimated 9,000 residents in the Austin/Travis County area experience homelessness each year,... Read more
Building a Cohesive Network of Violence Prevention and Intervention Programming in Kansas City
Over the past year, the United States has seen the collision of two major public health crises – COVID-19 and gun violence. Unfortunately, Kansas City has seen the deadly impact of these crises firsthand. Despite some efforts by community groups and government agencies, Kansas City struggles with violent crime and... Read more
Community-Centered Approaches to Expanding Birmingham’s Broadband Infrastructure
In Alabama’s Black Belt, the digital divide has compounded issues related to racial discrimination, high poverty, and limited access to healthcare services. Nine counties in the Black Belt have less than 30% access to broadband, and even in Black Belt cities with established infrastructure, like Birmingham, many residents face cost... Read more
Identifying Innovative Funding Mechanisms to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin
In spring 2021, city leaders facilitated the first Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin – the purpose of the summit was to develop an implementation strategy to effectively and significantly reduce unsheltered homelessness in the city. In the next three years local leaders are determined to rehouse 3,000 people... Read more
Developing a Regional Continuum of Care For Those Experiencing Homelessness
Seattle and King County rank in the top three areas in the country in homelessness on a per-capita basis, with more than 22,000 households and nearly 4,500 public school students experiencing homelessness in 2018 alone. And, unfortunately, homelessness has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has also introduced... Read more
Building Urban Resilience by Integrating Community-based Power Supplies
One area of urban resilience New Orleans is focused on improving is within the electric grid. The electric grid is central to the web of interconnected systems that must operate resiliently to serve communities during times of extreme weather. From medical treatment to dry shelter, food, and clean water, nearly... Read more
Developing and Implementing a Community-Centered Climate and Equity Plan
As the planet continues to warm, Milwaukee, like many American cities, faces the increasingly catastrophic effects of climate change. Milwaukee also has pronounced racial disparities that are exacerbated by this climate crisis. Confronted with the climate emergency and persistent economic disparities, Milwaukee recognizes an opportunity to simultaneously address both of... Read more