Boot Camp for Mayors: 20 Ideas to Fix America's Cities

Spearheaded by NYC Mayor and ultraphilanthropist Michael Bloomberg, the Mayors Challenge is a business-plan type competition for cities to develop innovative, and replicable, ideas for improving urban life.

ICIC outlines the 20 finalists (out of 305 entrants) and digs deeper into three of the proposals that could have the largest impact on inner city economies.

In Milwaukee, over 4,000 foreclosed lots will be transformed for urban food uses. The author explains, "ICIC research has shown that 60% of food cluster workers have a high school diploma or less, versus 44% for the rest of the economy. Food cluster jobs are well-paying and accessible to inner city residents based upon education and skills required."

In Syracuse, an International Village would help immigrants launch microenterprises. San Francisco wants to matchmake job seekers with city projects to help unemployed residents gain new skills.

See articles in Next American City and Fast Company Co.Exist for explanations of what some of the other twenty finalists are proposing.