What We Talk About When We Talk About PB (Hint: It’s Spreadable!)
“Participatory budgeting” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. And it has to do with municipal budgets. So given its built-in challenges as a public engagement tool, it’s somewhat surprising that participatory budgeting is emerging as a dynamic way to strengthen local democracy in the United States. Another surprise: one of the most inclusive and grassroots participatory budgeting processes in the US is taking place in … Continue reading What We Talk About When We Talk About PB (Hint: It’s Spreadable!)
Our 22 Mile Thanksgiving Table
This post originally appeared on Ryan Gravel’s Blog on November 26 2014 With the undeniable success of the Atlanta Beltline’s Eastside Trail and [last] November’s groundbreaking of the long-anticipated Westside Trail, we have much to be thankful for. Of course behind the smiles, hugs, tweets and posts, and behind our lifting economy and improving quality-of-life, we still have challenges ahead to make sure that everyone … Continue reading Our 22 Mile Thanksgiving Table
Rural “Boomers” Use Design to Support a Multi-Generational Gathering Place
Seniors who live in in rural places face a tension between a desire to age in their original homes and the challenge of accessing continued enrichment and connections to community. However, seniors who live in the small town of Milton, Wisconsin, do not have to choose between their rural lifestyle and social opportunities. Milton’s The Gathering Place is a non-profit, member-driven senior activity center where … Continue reading Rural “Boomers” Use Design to Support a Multi-Generational Gathering Place
Downtown Revitalization in Dayton, Ohio: Combating Vacancies with Redevelopment
Historically, the downtown core has been the epicenter of economic and social interaction, yet many urban centers have experienced significant decline and sharp increases in vacancy rates. Finding roots in urban renewal practices, changing markets, and suburbanization trends that began roughly sixty years ago, urban vacancy has continued to climb as focus shifts away from city centers. Vacancy in the City of Dayton, Ohio grew … Continue reading Downtown Revitalization in Dayton, Ohio: Combating Vacancies with Redevelopment
The Case for Safe Routes to School
This post originally appeared on the Safe Routes to School National Partnership Blog on October 21 2015. In advocating for Safe Routes to School programs in your area, you might face two major questions from school administrators, local planners, or political leaders: Will Safe Routes to School really increase students’ rates of walking and biking to school? Is Safe Routes to School worth the investment? … Continue reading The Case for Safe Routes to School
Public Space and Conscious Design: A Case Study
Think of your favorite public space. It could be the park near your childhood home. It might be the waterfront promenade where you run, or walk, or ride your bike at sunset. Perhaps it’s a busy downtown street. Now consider: what is it about this particular space that makes you happy? That makes you feel safe, comfortable, welcome, at home? It is likely that your … Continue reading Public Space and Conscious Design: A Case Study
High Speed Rail: The Momentum is Building
In the age of fast everything, it’s about time the United States builds some fast trains. After all, Americans like fast things. It’s why we use Keurig coffee machines instead of French presses and why more of us get news from the New York Times Twitter feed than from an actual newspaper. Despite our desire for everything fast, the overwhelming majority of Americans get … Continue reading High Speed Rail: The Momentum is Building
On Farm Labor in the United States (2/2)
Part 2: How Consumers Can Support Better Conditions for Farm Workers Part one of this post looked at the birth of the farm worker movement in the United States and the ways in which farm workers are excluded from important labor laws. There are very real consequences of excluding farm workers from the basic protections offered by the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards … Continue reading On Farm Labor in the United States (2/2)
On Farm Labor in the United States (1/2)
Part One: How Consumers (and Laws) Overlook Farm Workers Fifty years ago this fall, Filipino American farm workers in Delano, California, walked out of the grape fields to demand better pay and working conditions. They joined forces with a predominantly Latino farm workers union and the strike spread. This new coalition called itself the United Farm Workers, or UFW. Both a social movement and union, … Continue reading On Farm Labor in the United States (1/2)
Say No to Style: Community Oriented Architecture
Consider Roman arches. Arches were used in the Roman Empire because the form allowed structures to pass weight from above to below using fewer materials. The arch was so efficient that it spread throughout the Empire and became a defining characteristic of the Imperial style. Its use was, as a result, a reflection of the empire’s technical prowess and cultural values. In contrast, medieval Romanesque architecture … Continue reading Say No to Style: Community Oriented Architecture
Carolina Planning Journal 