The Battle for I-95
Two weeks ago, looking at the burned-out section of I-95 in Philadelphia from above, the safe bet was that this stretch of the East Coast’s most essential arterial would be a traffic nightmare for months to come. The elevated section of the highway had collapsed on June 11 after a tractor trailer flipped over and caught fire.
A big chunk of lobbying in Massachusetts is not tracked: Cities, towns are active on Beacon Hill but their activity treated differently
In March, Professor Julia Payson of New York University addressed a small group who had gathered at Boston University’s Initiative on Cities to hear about the new book she wrote — When Cities Lobby. Dr. Payson told the small crowd that the inspiration for her book came while she was a graduate student in California listening to NPR, and a strange statistic popped up: local governments in California are the state’s top spenders on lobbyists, spending more than any individual private interest. Included in that number were not only outside firms, but in-house lobbyists who worked directly for local governments. This is notable in a state where Silicon Valley billionaires, Hollywood studio heads, and some of the highest-grossing farmers in the country all live, work, and lobby.
Katharine Lusk Named Executive Director of the Planning Advisory Council
Mayor Michelle Wu today announced Katharine Lusk as the inaugural Executive Director of the Planning Advisory Council, which was created by an Executive Order signed by Mayor Wu in January and will establish a coordinated Citywide vision for Boston’s future and create accountability for delivering on that vision. The council will be composed of Cabinet officials, including those overseeing housing, parks, equity and inclusion, arts, and transportation, to ensure that long-range City planning includes those perspectives. Lusk began working in her role on May 1, 2023.
Racial gaps in gun violence against kids increased during COVID
White children did not experience an increase in firearm assault injuries at all.
Gun violence—and racial disparities in gun violence—have increased substantially during the pandemic, particularly among children. The new study shows just how stark these differences in risk of firearm injury are between white and non-white children.
Why are London’s housing estates choosing to be demolished?
The demolition forms part of a multibillion-pound “regeneration” scheme that was first announced in the early Noughties. So far, however, the site of the mooted project has shown signs of neglect rather than renewal. Residents of the estate – a mix of social tenants, leaseholders and private renters – have long struggled with the council to get mice-infested, asbestos-ridden and draughty homes fixed. Their community centre has closed and the community has hollowed out as neighbours have sold up or been moved out in anticipation of the long-awaited redevelopment.
Building a Better Boston: Behind the scenes at Boston City Hall, BU PhD candidates are solving problems small and big
If you walk through Boston City Hall, chances are you’ll bump into someone from BU working on the front lines, building a city that works for all. In recent years, several PhD candidates from BU have accepted fellowships or internships with the City of Boston, forming a brain trust and working on many of the city’s most ambitious initiatives. Some come from disciplines not traditionally thought of as feeders for public service—like history and sociology—but end up contributing in significant ways, many times picking up a love for municipal government that sticks. And many of those students arrive at City Hall via BU’s Initiative on Cities (IOC).
In national survey, mayors say real climate change progress may fall on their residents
Mayors on both sides of the political aisle have a range of worries on climate change, and found common ground regarding potential solutions in a recent poll by the Boston University Initiative on Cities. While the majority of top city leaders want investment in environmentally friendly municipal vehicles, they also believe that if meaningful climate change progress is to happen, the onus is on “residents to make real sacrifices.”
Most U.S. mayors don’t want to ban gas stoves, leaf blowers over climate change impact, survey finds
Mayors of American cities are overwhelmingly concerned about climate change and how it will affect their city, but they are much more divided on whether to restrict the use of fossil fuels in home appliances and lawn tools such as gas stoves and leaf blowers, according to a survey of mayors conducted by the Boston University Initiative on Cities that was released last week.
A new road map for 100% clean electricity by 2035
A new report by two major environmental groups offers the Biden administration a road map for accelerating clean energy deployment and keeping emission reduction goals within reach.
Survey: Mayors Concerned About Direct Impacts of Climate Change
A new report from the Boston University Initiative on Cities indicates that most U.S. mayors are concerned about the impacts of climate change on their communities. As Michael Brady writes in Smart Cities Dive, 97 percent of mayors surveyed said climate change was a concern, while over half worry about drought, extreme heat, flooding, and air pollution. Notably, “There was no partisan gap among mayors.”