University Settlement Society of New York’s Post

The final “C” in our Four C’s framework stands for Connect. By informing collective impact, leveraging scholarly networks for technical assistance, and working with community partners such as Rochester Area Community Foundation, ACT Rochester is able to connect people and research for action. This action moves us toward the creation of a more vital Rochester region. Through our approach, ACT’s team is able to help you define questions and problems, identify data to address these questions, and connect you to others who are asking the same kinds of questions…and who may understand or have established solutions. In this work, we can move as a community to an improved culture of decision-making throughout Greater Rochester. #TheFourCs #ACTRochester #ourapproach #ourframework #data #communityindicators #RACF #Rochester #RochesterNY #Roc

Are you interested in the intersection of housing and justice? This report, created by the Center for Justice Innovation, in collaboration with the Housing Solutions Lab at NYU Furman Center, explores ways that actors in the justice system and housing agencies can partner.

We are inspired by the new #SpatialFutures initiative from our friends at PolicyLink which connects the inequities of land, housing and space with community #wellbeing. In their report, they write,  "Reparative spatial justice, by addressing both the where and how of #justice, recognizes the temporal dimensions of justice, weaving together the past, present, and future. It aims not just to redistribute tangible assets like #land and #housing but to foster intangible yet vital elements like #healing, growth, and well-being." Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eC46u5y5

I'm thrilled to announce the release of our new publication, "Grounding Justice: Toward Reparative Spatial Futures in Land and Housing." This publication delves into how spatial injustice shapes entire lives and communities. Like many Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, the spaces we build around us are restructured to disrupt, displace, and exclude. It is time to change how that story ends. The elegant design of structural racism and oppression baked spatial inequity into the very fabric of our streets and neighborhoods and determined who should have access to secure housing, quality public education, healthy food, and even a long, fulfilling life. But our zip code should not determine how long or how well we live. This report offers us a way of confronting these past harms so that we can begin the task of designing our futures. While a reparative frame is new to the PolicyLink portfolio, the spirit of repair has always been embedded in our work and solidarity with everyday people. That is why I am so thrilled about the Spatial Futures project. This project is a commitment from PolicyLink to reckon with the foundational injustices that have shaped land and housing policy so that we can begin to repair and transform these systems. Our inaugural Spatial Futures Fellowship is an opportunity to uplift, support, and elevate those who have committed to this undertaking. For those following this journey toward reparative spatial justice, I implore you to resist the urge to debate and critique. Confronting the violence of this country’s history launches us right into the whitewater of democracy. Yet, we cannot get to equity without repair, and we cannot get to repair without love. That much is beyond debate. This is soul work, and it will require all of us. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gZtga-Af #ReparativeSpatialFutures #HousingFutures #HousingJustice #SpatialFutures

In November, Reimagine Main Streets released a groundbreaking national study in collaboration with 14 national business organizations, including ICIC. The survey delves into the state of contracting in both public and private sectors, illuminating the experiences of diverse businesses amidst significant federal investments and legal developments. The findings highlight the immense opportunities for diverse-owned and small businesses in federal government and corporate contracting, crucial for economic growth. With more than $690 billion spent on federal contracts in FY 2022, the potential for diverse businesses to contribute to emerging supply chains is immense. Diverse business leaders, including ICIC, emphasize the importance of intentional engagement and contract unbundling to level the playing field. This paves the way for robust and resilient supply chains, fostering economic inclusivity. Steve Grossman, CEO, Initiative for a Competitive Inner City stated: "In urban cores across America, diverse-owned businesses are ready for new contracting opportunities. Many of these businesses are already contracting successfully and have the capacity to expand, generating well-paying jobs, income, and wealth in our under-resourced communities. By breaking down the barriers that have made it harder for diverse-owned businesses to contract, we can help close the racial wealth gap and move forward in our mission to eliminate concentrated poverty in the United States." Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gR8V5Tdx

🌟 Appreciating the Power of Well-Researched Knowledge: Reflections on "A Quiet Revolution" 🌟 Last week, I found myself in a thought-provoking conversation with Councilman Will Lahnen of the Jacksonville City Council. We delved into the topic of why Jacksonville decided to transition to a consolidated government, merging city and county functions. In my studies of various cities, I've always found the concept of consolidating government services to be ambitious and intriguing. Council member Lahnen recommended a book titled "A Quiet Revolution," which provides an in-depth look at the consolidation process that brought 840 square miles of Duval County under a unified government. As I pondered this, I reminded myself of Jacksonville's location in the Deep South, where social and racial tensions have historically influenced the provision of services. Despite these challenges, the fundamental role of government remains to provide leadership and service to the community. Jacksonville's history, unfortunately, includes a violent legacy of racism and discrimination, particularly affecting the poor residents of Duval County. The book sheds light on these issues, explaining why such a monumental consolidation effort was undertaken. It wasn't an easy process; opposition was fierce as many sought to maintain the status quo. My admiration grows for those who managed to transform two inefficient government bodies into a functioning metropolis with a vision for the future. "A Quiet Revolution" clarifies the entire process, from its inception to the present, offering a comprehensive history of Jacksonville's administrative evolution. In my three decades of studying various cities, I've learned that no single system of government is without flaws. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The key takeaway is that the primary purpose of any government is to provide services and enhance the livability of its area. My experiences, both academic and practical, have deepened my understanding of how we coexist. There's no absolute right or wrong in the universe; the onus is on us to get involved in our local communities to effect meaningful change. https://lnkd.in/eN6tKJTe #CommunityEngagement #SelfAwareness #LoveMindset #Governance #WellResearched #LifeLessons #AQuietRevolution #Jacksonville

The first course I participated in at NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service was Introduction to Public Policy with Prof. Karina Christiansen and Prof. Sai Vichare. Having spent extensive time working in public affairs, my ego came into play as I started this class, and I very much wanted to reallocate my 3 course credits to material that was less familiar. So, I was more than mildly surprised when this quickly transformed into my favorite class … and stayed in my top 5 throughout my entire time at NYU. For 14 weeks, I … ✅ Dissected my policy framing and writing style; ✅ Soaked up knowledge from diverse classmates and incredible guests; and ✅ Analyzed case studies on coalition building in response to homelessness, federalism in crisis response, rulemaking for environmental protection, and more. And I am immensely proud of the op-eds, presentations, and memos I created throughout 3.5 months to promote a policy proposal for a holistic approach to planning, maintenance and funding of sidewalks in Arlington County, Virginia. If you are interested in dipping your toes in any of these topics, I recommend the following: 📑 Homelessness in Harvard Square – A case study that demonstrates the power and challenges of multi-stakeholder collaboration. (https://lnkd.in/gp2fPWdj) 🎥 The Freedom to Marry – A powerful documentary about the historic four-decade civil rights movement that transformed marriage rights and protections in the United States. (https://lnkd.in/gyFzu5WB) 📻 Floodlines – An impressive listen about how the devastation of Hurricane Katrina came about and what this meant for people who lost everything, and how federalism and policy framing interplayed. (https://lnkd.in/gT9u8sVu) If you want to talk policy formation, policy writing, sidewalks, or Arlington, feel free to message me!  #Policy #nyualumni #ArlingtonCounty #UrbanPlanning

Testimony before the U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM SUBCOMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES Regarding “A Threat to America’s Children: The Trump Administration’s Proposal to Gut Fair Housing Accountability” On January 14, 2020, HUD released a proposed rule redefining how jurisdictions will be expected to comply with the AFFH component of the Fair Housing Act.43 The proposed rule effectively eliminates the AFFH mandate of the Fair Housing Act and discards the equity and opportunity lenses that were key to the 2015 AFFH rule HUD seeks to replace. The proposed rule is premised on the notion that if jurisdictions remove the “barriers” to affordable housing development and let the market operate without constraints, it will solve their affordable housing problems and that, in turn, will solve our fair housing problems. It does not acknowledge systemic discrimination or segregation in any way and it completely ignores the connection between where one lives and the opportunities they may or may not have as a result. It ignores the multitude of disparities that have been created and fostered by persistent segregation or the role that decisions concerning the placement and design of housing and community development investments have on producing them. It has virtually no reference to protected classes and it does not require jurisdictions to provide meaningful explanations for how their housing and community development decisions will address the issues they choose to prioritize. For more information, please see - J. Soto Testimony - 2020.02.05 FINAL (congress.gov) - it is a pretty lengthy reading.... smile This is what folks have to look forward to IF.... https://lnkd.in/g7gZxT6H

Very excited about this conversation on #libraries and #democracy with one of the leading thinkers in this space, City Librarian of Toronto Vickery Bowles. Toronto Public Library is the largest public library system in North America. The conversation is free of charge and can be joined remotely. Libraries, Public Space and Democratic Values  Monday, May 27 2024 @ 2PM ET Hybrid Event (In Person or Live Virtual) How is library public space in particular critical to urban environments? What does it mean for a library to be a place for everyone in a divided city? Award-winning urbanist Tommi Laitio speaks with TPL’s City Librarian Vickery Bowles about the important role played by libraries in the stewardship of public space. Combining research from urban studies to theology with practical examples from libraries and parks around the world, this conversation will explore the concept of convivencia, a cooperative state between harmony and open conflict, which emphasizes practice, effort, negotiation, and accommodation. How is intellectual freedom supported by inclusive place-making? What are the limits and challenges faced by those who manage public space and how does access to public space underpin democratic values? Join the conversation. https://lnkd.in/egmEmAmJ

NYU Furman Center Executive Director Matthew Murphy wrote a new commentary for HUD's latest issue of Cityscape on filling the gap in housing policy data, which highlights new methods to link fragmented datasets, emerging technologies to avoid past pitfalls, and housing justice concepts beyond public records. "The urgency to use data and new methods to adapt and meet the needs of residents and policymakers is evident in all housing-related work. Researchers require intricate data not just on cities and neighborhoods but on individual properties, their units and their building systems," he writes. "Studying housing requires an examination of the intersection of how people live (or want to live) with a huge number of considerations housing policy researchers account for...Skipping any of these considerations risks missing out on another important story that might be going on. It is the fun and frustration of being a housing policy researcher." Read the piece here: