City Ideas

A Surprising Salve for New York’s Beleaguered Cities: Refugees

Interesting and actionable guide about making change in Congress. Main idea - be relentless in contacting your local Member of Congress and getting your friends to contact them as well. 

Guide

Why Men Don’t Want the Jobs Done Mostly by Women (Nytimes)

There is a lot of job growth, but for jobs traditionally done by women. Men will have to change their identity views in order to keep up. 

Still, in the November 2016 election, transit fared well in cities and counties around the U.S. There were a record number of transit ballot measures, totaling a record-setting, more than $200 billion in funding.

Los Angeles County approved a whopping $120 billion package for transit, bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure and roads. The Seattle area, Columbus, Ohio, and Atlanta approved, respectively, $54 billion, $6.5 billion and $2.5 billion funding measures. Though those projects are at least five years from opening, the election shows that city-dwellers have a big appetite for better, faster, more comprehensive transit.

Next City’s Field Guide to Fences

How fences create different and oftentimes underused space

Parks Without Borders: Making our parks more open and welcoming

NYC Parks Department is embarking on a project to change the way fencing is used to create barriers in the park

How to Easily Make More Public Seating 

An urban strategist shares the secrets of making a good public seat.