Cities
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The Redistributive Power of City Government
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At their best, cities are places where people of all income levels take the same train and play with their kids in the same park, bridging the gap and fostering a sense of community. In reality, the “tale of two cities” often seen in the differences between glittering downtowns and…
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Impacts of Local Ownership of Vacant Land on Crime
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Demographic and economic trends like suburbanization, deindustrialization, white flight, and foreclosures have resulted in an increase in vacant properties in cities like Chicago. High vacancy rates pose many challenges for cities and residents, including decreasing tax revenues and real estate values, while simultaneously increasing costs to the city and, potentially,…
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COVID-19 is Unleashing the Bicycle Revolution
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Lockdowns and stay at home orders from Chicago to London to Beijing have resulted in fewer cars on roads and reduced public transit ridership. The nosedive in daily commuters has transformed large swaths of cities around the world into a sea of deserted asphalt in the middle of the day.…
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The Energy Demand Crisis Within the Public Health Crisis
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As COVID-19 spreads around the globe, staying at home has become the easiest and most effective way to save lives. Governments across the world have translated this public health measure into policy by enacting “shelter in place” orders, confining millions to their homes. As a result of these orders, residential…
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Racial Disparities in Access to Public Green Space
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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 et al., 2014) varies across racial and economic lines. Income and…
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Re-Examining Body-Worn Cameras
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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 requiring officers to wear body-worn cameras. A 2016 survey of police departments…
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Abolish Single-Family Zoning
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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 first glance, are sensible. There should be…
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The Economics of Begging
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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 public scrutiny for begging, rather than working,…
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Exorbitant Costs and Minimal Benefits: the Impact of Hosting the Olympics
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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 marketed as the “Recovery Olympics” in light…
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How Cities Can Model Transit Equity
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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 residents and is an ongoing issue for legislators. A new framework may…
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How Does Pollen Affect Criminal Activity?
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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 punishments to the more subtle ways in which…