Next City

The so-called Death Star law was passed in Texas. Luckily, a lawsuit was filed by the city of Houston, joined by San Antonio and El Paso, and supported by dozens of large and small municipalities in Texas - they formed an Alliance, if you will.

Through organizations like Chicago TREND and with the help of new and federally regulated fintech platforms, community members and people of color who were excluded from ownership now have an opportunity not only to own a piece of a shopping mall or other commercial space, but also to see a return on their investment. Reporting for this story was made possible with funding from the Mastercard Impa...

A new report surveyed nonprofits and what it discovered has activists calling for a new way of funding arts and culture. Can they change the way things have always been done?

In Oakland, a nonprofit is giving entrepreneurs of color the chance to use vacant storefronts to try out their own businesses. The first step? Convert building ground floor into a public park. Reporting for this story was made possible with funding from the Mastercard Impact Fund in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Today we talk about a solution to the lack of housing access that is within reach for many local Public Housing Authorities.

Housing vouchers are a federally-funded payment system. They’re used by low-income people to rent a home — any home. Or at least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. While the Fair Housing Act of 1968 offered legal protections against discrimination based on race, religion, sex, and disability, there is nothing in it that says you can’t discriminate against someone based on how the source of their i...

Whether it’s medical care, addiction treatment, counseling — or whatever the issue might be that individual case-work would reveal — many people experiencing homelessness need more than stable housing. But there’s evidence that without first offering someone a stable home, all those other issues can’t be properly addressed. That is a concept called “Housing First.”

An East Boston tenant had been fighting her eviction for eight years when the city established a new neighborhood trust and bought her building — plus, 35 others.

Today we’re learning about a solution in Lexington, Kentucky, where a non-profit called CivicLex is changing things up. We’re speaking with the founder of CivicLex about how they’re getting folks informed and involved in local decisions big and small.

The first Black-owned bank to open in the last 20 years is in Columbus, Ohio.

In this episode of Next City, Lucas Grindley explores the history of LGBTQ neighborhoods, or "Gayborhoods," and how they've been affected by skyrocketing housing prices. Developers are trying to spark the birth of a new queer neighborhood in Cleveland. But can a massive real estate development even succeed as LGBTQ-focused? This ambitious 300,000-square-foot complex called Studio West 117 will inc...

A Minneapolis startup is raising awareness about all the building materials that can be salvaged instead of sent to landfills. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City Newsletter - Signing up for our newsletters is the best way to stay informed on the issues that matter. To subscribe now, head to nextcity.org/newsletter and enter your email address.• Next City App - Downloading the Next City App i...

This episode of Next City delves into the impact of natural disasters such as hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and how they affect people even years later. In the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, two organizations provide solutions to the displacement crisis. The Florida Keys Community Land Trust was initiated by two altruistic individuals and creates housing that is far more affordable than market...

In this episode of Next City, we learn about the importance of giving back to one's community and promoting environmental sustainability. A nonprofit at the border is collecting food and redistributing it to shelters. The founder of No Lost Food shares her experience with "food rescue" and the impact it had on the children helped. Guests include reporter Christian Betancourt, who is Next City and...

In this episode of Next City, we explore the challenges faced by the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia — a historically disinvested area known for its struggles. The Kensington Corridor Trust is one of several community-owned or community-led commercial real estate entities across the U.S., and developments like these are starting to get more recognition.

When neighbors started coming to his Little Rock barbershop to borrow money, Arlo Washington went a step further and chartered Arkansas’ newest credit union. In this episode of Next City, host Lucas Grindley discusses the importance of community support during times of financial distress. The story focuses on Arlo Washington, a barber who opened a credit union to service those in need of financial...

Can we combat the affordable housing crisis by building homes in our backyards? The movement to create “accessory dwelling units” comes in different shapes. In this episode of Next City, we partner with ShelterForce and take a journey across the country to explore solutions from the Bay Area and Durham, North Carolina. One organization in the South includes them in its brand new housing developmen...

An encampment of people experiencing homelessness was reimagined as a tiny home village that still provides housing 20 years later. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City Newsletter - Signing up for our newsletters is the best way to stay informed on the issues that matter. To subscribe now, head to nextcity.org/newsletter and enter your email address.• Next City App - Downloading the Next City...

A Bay area church designed a program that it says isn’t charity; it’s countering systemic racism. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City Newsletter - Signing up for our newsletters is the best way to stay informed on the issues that matter. To subscribe now, head to nextcity.org/newsletter and enter your email address.• Next City App - Downloading the Next City App is a smart way to stay informe...

Two former cellmates persuaded Atlanta’s leaders to legally protect formerly incarcerated residents from discrimination. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City Newsletter - Signing up for our newsletters is the best way to stay informed on the issues that matter. To subscribe now, head to nextcity.org/newsletter and enter your email address.• Next City App - Downloading the Next City App is a sm...

U.S. cities are responding to the global #LandBack movement by returning land to the stewardship of Indigenous people — to whom it rightfully belongs. This episode is part of the Solutions of the Year series. If you are in search of solutions that make cities more just and equitable, then get a copy of Next City’s Solutions of the Year special issue magazine. To get your copy now, head to nextcity...

Pilots of guaranteed income programs are launching in cities all over the United States. We talked with the researchers tracking the results and what they show. This episode is part of the Solutions of the Year series. If you are in search of solutions that make cities more just and equitable, then get a copy of Next City’s Solutions of the Year special issue magazine. To get your copy now, head t...

Who says change can’t happen quickly? One group says they’ve figured out the playbook for fast-tracking bike lanes. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City Newsletter - Signing up for our newsletters is the best way to stay informed on the issues that matter. To subscribe now, head to nextcity.org/newsletter and enter your email address. This episode is sponsored by:• Next City App - Downloading...

Cities everywhere are proving paying a fare to ride the bus isn’t necessary, and getting rid of fares altogether makes them more useful. This episode is part of the Solutions of the Year series. If you are in search of solutions that make cities more just and equitable, then get a copy of Next City’s Solutions of the Year special issue magazine. To get your copy now, head to nextcity.org/22solutio...

This El Paso landscaping company is now owned by its employees. And while that’s not entirely unusual, the way the sale happened could be a model for the future. This episode is part of the Solutions of the Year series. If you are in search of solutions that make cities more just and equitable, then get a copy of Next City’s Solutions of the Year special issue magazine. To get your copy now, head...