The COVID-19 pandemic upended work and its relationship to place. However, a recent Brookings report presents evidence that cities are benefiting from “activity centers”—areas where economic, physical, social, and civic assets cluster at a hyperlocal scale. In a CityLab op-ed, Tracy Hadden Loh and Jennifer S. Vey discuss the clear and positive relationship between the density of jobs within activity centers and economic productivity, as measured by gross metropolitan product per worker. As workplace needs continue to evolve, the report’s findings can inform regional leaders on how they can invest in activity center growth to shape a more competitive economic future.
Advocates of public transportation and walkable cities have long drawn a connection between population density and the efficacy of public transit. But population density is not actually a good measure of a metro area’s car (in)dependence. DW Rowland’s analysis of America's activity centers finds that the concentration of a city’s assets is more important than population density in determining whether residents are more likely to use greener alternatives instead of driving to work alone.
Dysfunctional labor markets and a rise in office vacancy rates are forcing downtowns to rethink the future of work. To address these challenges, there is growing momentum to expand apprenticeship opportunities beyond traditional industries and integrate them into educational systems and degree pathways. These new apprenticeship placements focus on professional occupations in industries such as insurance, finance, business, and technology. By widening the scope of apprenticeships, cities can leverage their existing workforce to foster inclusive innovation and regional growth.
Omaha, Nebraska’s North 24th street is the cultural heart of the city’s Black community, and one of the many corridors that the Omaha Mobile Stage—a new mobile placemaking project—has begun to uplift. In a Placemaking Postcard, Jessica Scheuerman and Kaylea Kuhlman describe how this new transportable venue serves as a catalyst for community gatherings, creates opportunities for struggling artists and neighborhood businesses, and increases access to the performing arts in underserved neighborhoods.
Uneven patterns of economic growth and revitalization within urban, suburban, and rural areas require a shift in how communities are governed. Place-based (hyperlocal) governance structures are part of the solution, but they must evolve to meet the needs of more people and places.
"Hyperlocal" explores both the opportunities and tensions associated with creating and sustaining more effective place governance structures.
Did you know? A 2020 Bass Center report found that across six metro areas, the distance of the average trip—to work, to the store, or to school—exceeds 7 miles. (Read more in Finding 1 on page 17 of the full report.) For many individuals, the only choice for traveling such distances is by car, which contributes to the social, environmental, affordability, and public health challenges facing so many communities.
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Transportation equity. A central tenet of the Department of Transportation is to facilitate affordable and reliable transportation options. As state and local governments work on projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the department has released an innovative guide to encourage meaningful public involvement in decisions related to public transit. This is a huge step to ensure inclusion of all voices in the implementation of critical infrastructure. The question now becomes: Will local governments adopt equity as part of their decisionmaking processes? Relatedly, a recent report from the Urban Institute suggests that the city of Dallas should create a mobility equity council to ensure minority residents in South Dallas have equal access to transportation. At present, most South Dallas residents live more than a quarter-mile from the nearest bus station and more than a half-mile from the nearest train station. To confront such challenges, America needs to rethink its land use and transportation policies; Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has taken a major step in this regard with the city's first Mobility Innovation District, which will improve equitable access to transportation. With federal funding in place, we should expect others to follow suit.
Disrupting cycles of homelessness. Community action programs nationwide have been implementing the "Housing First" model, which prioritizes providing people experiencing homelessness with permanent housing. Rockford, Ill., a city whose changing economy contributed to high unemployment and homelessness rates, has officially reached functional zero homelessness for veterans and the chronically homeless. Progress stemmed from a partnership with Community Solutions, a New York City nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness through a housing-first approach, as well as collaboration with hospitals, mental health providers, city agencies, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In early October, after a 250% rise in homelessness, Chattanooga, Tenn. Mayor Tim Kelly urged the city council to convert a local hotel into a 70-unit permanent supportive housing project. And a recent Urban Institute report evaluating Denver’s Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond initiative—launched in 2016 to provide a permanent housing subsidy and other services to residents—shows how the initiative has helped break the cycle of unhoused people moving back and forth between the streets and jail.
