Next City

How Can Urbanists Stay True to Their Values in Trump’s America? The Ethical Urbanist: Principled urbanism can feel nearly impossible under an administration openly hostile to social justice, equity and cities as a whole. But there’s still a lot of opportunity to d...

The Ethical Urbanist: Principled urbanism can feel nearly impossible under an administration openly hostile to social justice, equity and cities as a whole. But there’s still a lot of opportunity to do good.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Ethical Infrastructure Matters, Even When City Budgets Are Under Strain Urban leaders have an obligation to uphold dignity and belonging through public infrastructure, especially in times of scarcity.

Urban leaders have an obligation to uphold dignity and belonging through public infrastructure, especially in times of scarcity.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Young People Know Who They Are. Are Adults Willing to Listen? Drawing on research with nearly 4,000 students, Michaela Leslie-Rule’s “How We See Us” shows us the stories young people tell about themselves — not the ones told about them.

Drawing on research with nearly 4,000 students, Michaela Leslie-Rule’s “How We See Us” shows us the stories young people tell about themselves — not the ones told about them.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

After a Six-Year Struggle, These Boston Tenants Won Permanent Affordability When a new owner imposed sharp rent hikes in 2018, tenants in Mattapan organized and fought back. Now, more than 300 housing units will be affordable for the foreseeable future. Here’s how the tenants...

@nextcity.bsky.social When a new owner imposed sharp rent hikes in 2018, tenants in Mattapan organized and fought back. Now, more than 300 housing units will be affordable for the foreseeable future. Here’s how the tenants made it happen.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

The Weekly Wrap: Senate Advances First Major, Bipartisan Housing Package in More Than a Decade L.A. wants to stop officers from hiding their identities, transit expansions leading to evictions, and more.

L.A. wants to stop officers from hiding their identities, transit expansions leading to evictions, and more.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Breaking Urbanism’s Culture of Silence on Gaza, the City We’ve All Destroyed Op-ed: Gaza’s people, its culture, its built and natural environment are all being systemically erased. Why won’t our profession say that’s wrong?

Op-ed: Gaza’s people, its culture, its built and natural environment are all being systemically erased. Why won’t our profession say that’s wrong?

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

On Expanding Black Power and Lives Podcast: The authors of two new books, Andre Perry and Oscar Perry Abello, explain the connection between investment and life expectancy in Black communities.

Podcast: The authors of two new books, Andre Perry and Oscar Perry Abello, explain the connection between investment and life expectancy in Black communities.

nextcity.org/podcast/on-e...

A Roadmap to Housing+ Coops for Affordable Housing Providers Op-ed: Affordable housing organizations were founded to serve communities, not simply to manage assets. By converting rentals into housing+ coops, they can empower tenants to become member-owners.

Op-ed: Affordable housing organizations were founded to serve communities, not simply to manage assets. By converting rentals into housing+ coops, they can empower tenants to become member-owners.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Murals Are Disappearing in San Diego’s Barrio Logan. Artists Have a Plan To Protect Their Work. San Diego Artists in the city’s historic Barrio Logan are pushing for stronger ordinances to protect public art, as cultural murals are being erased without proper legal notice.

San Diego Artists in the city’s historic Barrio Logan are pushing for stronger ordinances to protect public art, as cultural murals are being erased without proper legal notice.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

‘We Opened a Door Nobody Knew Existed’: How Displaced Black Families Won Reparations in Portland A historic settlement returns $8.5 million and land to Black families displaced by a decades-old redevelopment scheme — and sets a precedent for cities nationwide.

A historic settlement returns $8.5 million and land to Black families displaced by a decades-old redevelopment scheme — and sets a precedent for cities nationwide.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Inside KABOOM! and Partners’ Research-Rich Guidance for Developing Early Childhood Playspaces Sponsored: From integrating nature and balancing safety with manageable risk to incorporating culturally relevant design elements, the Early Childhood Playspace Design Toolkit was made to help promote playspaces that best support this critical development period.

Sponsored: From integrating nature and balancing safety with manageable risk to incorporating culturally relevant design elements, the Early Childhood Playspace Design Toolkit was made to help promote playspaces that best support this critical development period.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

The other week I found out that several of my stories for @palabranahj.bsky.social & @nextcity.org placed in the SPJ San Diego Journalists Awards. My article 'The Heavy Toll' won 1st place in the category of non-daily reporting & writing for a Criminal Justice Story on La Raza Database Project.

New levels of investor-owned housing, support ends for Black farmers, and more.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

No Se Vende! “Not for Sale,” argues Oscar Perry Abello, is the new rallying cry for neighborhoods around the country reclaiming their economies and their futures.

“Not for Sale,” argues Oscar Perry Abello, is the new rallying cry for neighborhoods around the country reclaiming their economies and their futures. mainstreetjournal.substack.com/p/no-se-vende @nextcity.org

Cool Roofs or Urban Trees: Which Solution Is Best For Fighting Extreme Heat? Cities are seeking low-cost ways to ease the heat island effect. Researchers found benefits and trade-offs in two popular options, but they vary by city and even neighborhood.

Cities are seeking low-cost ways to ease the heat island effect. Researchers found benefits and trade-offs in two popular options, but they vary by city and even neighborhood.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

As Private Equity Squeezes Mobile Home Parks for Profit, Residents Fight Back With corporate landlords snatching up manufactured housing, a growing movement of mobile home residents is pushing back through collective ownership, lawsuits and state policy reform.

With corporate landlords snatching up manufactured housing, a growing movement of mobile home residents is pushing back through collective ownership, lawsuits and state policy reform.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

How Trump’s Tax Law Will Deepen Housing Insecurity The Trump administration's new tax law boosts tax credits for housing developers — but massive cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and energy assistance will drive up housing insecurity for low-income renters and ...

The Trump administration's new tax law boosts tax credits for housing developers — but massive cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and energy assistance will drive up housing insecurity for low-income renters and homeowners.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Our Smartphone-Dependent Culture Is Repeating the Mistakes of Car-Centric Infrastructure Op-ed: As businesses and governments increasingly digitize services, often without offering analog alternatives, we're creating new forms of civic exclusion and device dependence.

Op-ed: As businesses and governments increasingly digitize services, often without offering analog alternatives, we're creating new forms of civic exclusion and device dependence.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Protecting Incarcerated People From the ‘Prison-to-ICE Deportation Pipeline’ Freedom for Immigrants recently launched Project Keep Away, a first-of-its-kind hotline, in two California women’s prisons.

Freedom for Immigrants recently launched Project Keep Away, a first-of-its-kind hotline, in two California women’s prisons.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

An Atlanta Makerspace Revitalizes Lives, Small Businesses – and a Neighborhood With an apprenticeship program and top-of-the-line tools, MASS Collective is helping local artisans grow their businesses, learn new skills and avoid displacement.

With an apprenticeship program and top-of-the-line tools, MASS Collective is helping local artisans grow their businesses, learn new skills and avoid displacement.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

New Research Finds Good Cause Eviction Policies Don’t Hamper Construction Multiple states have ongoing pushes for good cause eviction protections. A frequent obstacle: a now-disproven claim by developers.

Multiple states have ongoing pushes for good cause eviction protections. A frequent obstacle: a now-disproven claim by developers.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

You Call It Illegal. I Call It Desperation. Op-ed: Before you judge the unlicensed dentist, ask why her patients had nowhere else to go. The real crisis is our failure to make health care accessible for working families.

Op-ed: Before you judge the unlicensed dentist, ask why her patients had nowhere else to go. The real crisis is our failure to make health care accessible for working families.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

What Free Transit Looks Like in Albuquerque, Nearly Two Years After the City Eliminated Fares While some cities are walking back their zero-fare initiatives, Albuquerque sees free transit as a lifeline for its homeless and low-income populations.

While some cities are walking back their zero-fare initiatives, Albuquerque sees free transit as a lifeline for its homeless and low-income populations.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Threatened by Rising Waters, a Virginia Museum Fights Back A small art museum in Norfolk is deploying a suite of flood-resilient design strategies, from elevated foundations to sculptural rain gardens, to protect its collection from increasingly frequent floo...

A small art museum in Norfolk is deploying a suite of flood-resilient design strategies, from elevated foundations to sculptural rain gardens, to protect its collection from increasingly frequent flooding.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

An Unexpected Idea for Preserving America’s Mobile Homes Op-ed: A landscape historian argues that the preservation field can play a role in protecting manufactured housing by listing it in the National Register of Historic Places.

Op-ed: A landscape historian argues that the preservation field can play a role in protecting manufactured housing by listing it in the National Register of Historic Places.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Creating Common Ground: The Value of Public Parks Sponsored podcast: The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® Index each year ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities on how well their park systems meet residents’ needs. In this episode, we examine how cities...

Sponsored podcast: The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® Index each year ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities on how well their park systems meet residents’ needs. In this episode, we examine how cities have leveraged their ParkScore data into action.

nextcity.org/podcast/crea...

Announcing the 2025 Philadelphia Class of Next City Vanguards More than 40 changemakers and city-builders from across the country will gather in October.

Next City today announces the class of 45 Vanguards who will convene in Philadelphia from October 6 through 9. This is Next City’s 17th Vanguard conference, an annual experiential gathering of rising urban leaders who work to improve cities across sectors.

nextcity.org/press/entry/...

Public Space Is the Infrastructure of Democracy. It’s Time to Protect Our Right to Gather. Op-ed: Our constitutional right to gather starts with parks and public spaces that are open and accessible.

Op-ed: Our constitutional right to gather starts with parks and public spaces that are open and accessible.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

What Would It Take For Detroit’s Youth To Feel Safe? Violent crime may be on the decline in Detroit, but youth who must navigate the city and its schools say fears about their safety can often feel overwhelming.

Violent crime may be on the decline in Detroit, but youth who must navigate the city and its schools say fears about their safety can often feel overwhelming.

nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

Crime Rates Suggest Detroit Is Safer. But Youth Still Live in Fear. “I didn’t feel safe anywhere": Harassment, violence and unsafe commutes shape daily life for teens, who remain on high alert.

“I didn’t feel safe anywhere”: Harassment, violence and unsafe commutes shape daily life for teens, who remain on high alert.
nextcity.org/features/cri...