The city of Baltimore is taking a new approach to an old idea: that schools should be the center of neighborhoods.
Davin Hong pens an op-ed supporting the 21st Century Schools Building Plan as a way to overcome the massive economic and social challenges facing Baltimore's inner city neighborhoods.
According to Hong, "[t]he funding for the plan to rebuild dozens of schools in the next several years is a landmark victory for Baltimore that instills hope that positive outcomes for all city students is possible." The plan essentially enables the construction and programming that centers schools at the center of neighborhoods. Hong explains: "Utilizing the school construction as leverage, investments, projects and programs can be coordinated to bring resources in and around the schools to strengthen neighborhoods and catalyze transformation. Within compact "Community Investment Zones," programs, services, and amenities can be concentrated to create vibrant mixed-use town centers that become the heart of each neighborhood."
Hong describes a case study he is working on with the Neighborhoods Design Center in the neighborhood of Cherry Hill, in partnership with the Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's INSPIRE program and the city's Department of Planning.
FULL STORY: Transforming Baltimore's neighborhoods
10 of the Best Urban Agriculture Projects
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Green Health Tools for 'Back to School'
Nisha Botchwey and Kirsten Cook detail the articles available on the subject of green health and schools in the Summer 2014 issue of the Journal of Planning Education. (Articles mentioned in this post have Open Access through September.)
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service