New research suggests urban agriculture’s biggest yields are social, cultural, and educational.
A new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future clarifies the impact of urban agriculture projects.
They won't feed a city or transform the supply chain, the report says. Rather, their primary impact is at the community level, where they serve to educate, build community ties, and promote civic engagement.
Take Planting Justice, an Oakland non-profit that teaches permaculture at San Quentin State Prison, and employs recently incarcerated people to build community gardens and farms.
Willy Blackmore, food editor at Take Part, links the findings to his own observations on the social aspects of growing food in California cities. The takeaway: urban agriculture may or may not be the future of food, but done right, it can benefit communities in the here and now.
FULL STORY: Urban Agriculture Can’t Feed Us, but That Doesn’t Mean It’s a Bad Idea
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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