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U.S. Cities/Communities

 

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Our research on cities and communities cuts across several Urban Institute specialties—housing trends, crime prevention, economic development, arts and culture, and more.

Our urban studies define much of our history, from evaluations of community development corporations in poor neighborhoods to road-tested ideas for rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to more recent projects helping policymakers monitor communities’ progress. We also work closely with local groups to grasp and address the Washington, D.C., area's challenges.

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Martin D. AbravanelCarol J. De VitaMaria Rosario Jackson
G. Thomas KingsleyNancy G. La VigneRobert I. Lerman
George E. PetersonCaterina Gouvis RomanShelli B. Rossman
Robin E. SmithAmy L. SolomonPeter A. Tatian
Margery Austin Turner

 

Publications on US Cities/Communities

Viewing 1-5 of 431. Most recent posts listed first.Next Page >>

On the Road to Adulthood (Audio / Video Files)
The Urban Institute

Many young people in the District of Columbia lack a high school or college diploma and are ill-prepared for a labor market that demands highly skilled workers. In response to this crisis, the District government launched a reform effort in 2007 that promises to reinvent public schools and halt the years of poor performance that have plagued the city's education system. But school reform alone cannot address all of the complicated social, emotional, and economic conditions holding back the city's youth. Families, nonprofit organizations, and District agencies must all be committed partners in helping young people succeed.

Posted to Web: June 26, 2009Publication Date: June 26, 2009

New Life for US Housing and Urban Policy: Address to the opening plenary of the City Futures Conference, Madrid, June 4, 2009 (Commentary)
Margery Austin Turner

Three big themes animate the Obama Administration's emerging urban policy framework: competitiveness, equity of opportunity, and sustainability. These themes recognize that the well-being of urban places and the welfare of people are inextricably linked. To achieve the new Administration's urban policy vision, enormous challenges must be overcome including jurisdictional balkanization, federal budget pressures, and macro trends whose long-term impacts can't be fully anticipated. In the face of these challenges, the research community has an opportunity to contribute hugely to the realization of the new urban agenda, but only if we are prepared to make our work genuinely useful to policymakers.

Posted to Web: June 12, 2009Publication Date: June 04, 2009

Prisoner Reentry in Houston: Community Perspectives (Research Report)
Diana Brazzell, Nancy G. La Vigne

In Houston, Texas, returning prisoners face many challenges, from securing housing and employment to rebuilding relationships with their families and support networks, while at the same time attempting to avoid old pathways to criminal behavior and substance abuse. The impact of prisoner reentry, however, extends far beyond these individuals and their families and friends. The communities to which former prisoners return and the local government and social service networks that serve these communities have a significant stake in the successful reintegration of returning prisoners. This research brief explores prisoner reentry from the perspective of Houston stakeholders and community members.

Posted to Web: June 11, 2009Publication Date: May 14, 2009

The Impact of Foreclosures on Home Ownership and Affordable Housing in the District of Columbia (Testimony)
Peter A. Tatian

In this testimony before members of the D.C. City Council, Peter Tatian, senior researcher in the Urban Institute's Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center and director of NeighborhoodInfo DC, presents recent data showing that the national foreclosure crisis has not spared households in the District of Columbia. Although the intensity of the foreclosure problem is not as severe as in other parts of the region, the nation's capital has seen a marked and steady increase in foreclosures since the beginning of the housing market downturn.

Posted to Web: May 29, 2009Publication Date: May 28, 2009

State of Washington, D.C.'s Neighborhoods (Research Report)
Peter A. Tatian, G. Thomas Kingsley, Margery Austin Turner, Jennifer Comey, Randy Rosso

The District of Columbia's leaders have committed to capitalizing on the city's many assets and taking advantage of its recent growth and prosperity to tackle persistent challenges of inequality and exclusion. This report, prepared for the D.C. Office of Planning, seeks to aid the city's leaders and citizens through tracking and measuring major economic and social indicators. The report provides a baseline assessment of the current situation in the city and its neighborhoods in nine subject categories: demographics; jobs and income; housing; education; health; family, youth, and seniors; safety and security; public investment; and environment.

Posted to Web: May 14, 2009Publication Date: September 30, 2008

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