As the COVID-19 pandemic rages around the globe and ravages communities, racial disparities in many aspects of public life in the US have been highlighted. Access to public green spaces, including parks, nature preserves, forests, and community gardens (Wolch ... More »
Sparked by the police killing of unarmed teenager Mike Brown, the 2014 Ferguson protests ignited a nation-wide conversation about police reform in the United States. To increase safety and accountability for officers and civilians, many lawmakers responded by ... More »
In the United States and abroad, housing crises abound; from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand, shortages of affordable housing options are common. One cause of such shortages is zoning laws, which in the United States have been around for decade and, at ... More »
In cities around the globe, people can be found street-side asking for money. While there are some who chose to perform or sell small goods, others ask for cash without offering anything of value in return. These individuals, known as panhandlers, face harsh p... More »
Every four years, the world tunes in to watch pageantry, competition, and peak athletic performance at the Summer Olympics. Before the COVID-19 crisis, the 32nd Summer Olympiad was scheduled to take place in Tokyo from late July to early August 2020 and was ma... More »
Millions of people in cities worldwide lack sufficient access to public transit. In the United States, many live in transit deserts, where the demand for transit outweighs supply. Inadequate transit access may limit employment and educational opportunities for... More »
A simple model of crime suggests that a criminal will act when the benefits of committing the crime outweigh the costs. The benefits might include anything from financial gain to emotional release. The costs are also wide-ranging — from the obvious legal punis... More »
In many of the world’s largest urban areas, the basic standards of living set out in the Sustainable Development Goals are woefully out of reach. In the developing world, cities won’t achieve those goals without providing adequate green space. Conceived broadl... More »
From San Francisco to Chicago to Fairfax, Va., electric buses are helping school districts reduce their carbon footprints and protect the lungs of their young riders. Unlike more popular transit options, electric school buses provide great opportunities to res... More »
In the last decade, transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft have significantly disrupted urban mobility. Commonly known as “ride-sharing,” TNCs’ app-based services provide millions of customers an alternative to traditional transportation... More »
In the effort to reduce violence in Chicago, one important focus area is keeping students safe on their way to school. In 2009, the city launched the Safe Passage program as a novel method of addressing this issue. Safe Passage hires civilian guards and places... More »
Crime imposes an immense burden on cities, taking its toll in higher policing costs, lower property values, fewer job opportunities, and reduced overall quality of life. High and rising rates of crime are often cited as reasons for businesses not to locate to ... More »