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To Fight Blight, One City Turned to Courts

J. Brian Charles

December 21, 2018 |

Governing |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, St. Petersburg, Florida

An initiative in St. Petersburg has reduced the number of vacant houses while increasing access to affordable housing. The city takes ownership of vacant lots and abandoned homes, then sells the properties to affordable housing developers or auctions them off. The initiative helps make land cheap enough to build affordable housing.

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For Those Experiencing Homelessness, ‘The Bin' Honors Their Belongings

Rikha Sharma Rani

December 21, 2018 |

Next City |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In Los Angeles, The Bin gives homeless people a chance to store their valuables. “If I didn’t have this bin, I’d have to get rid of most of my stuff. These bins are really great to have.” Across the nation, other cities are unfolding efforts to help the homeless population.

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Can This Smart Street Stop Drinkers Getting Violent?

William Kremer

December 16, 2018 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Netherlands, Eindhoven

The city of Eindhoven is piloting a handful of experiments to reduce alcohol-induced violence. They include "sound cameras" that trigger when someone is yelling, to cameras that measure crowd density, both of which prompt police to go to the affected area to investigate. Although the algorithms aren't perfect and sometimes there are false alarms, the city is still pushing forward with the goal of making the streets safer for all.

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Guatemala: An indigenous community rejects, then accepts, a protected area

Anna-Catherine Brigida

December 12, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Guatemala, Río Sarstún

After initially not involving the indigenous Q’eqchi community in designating land for the Río Sarstún Multiple Use Area – land that this community lives on – the government and the Q’eqchi since partnered together to advance conservation efforts and land management. Over a decade later, the two stakeholders work together on things like overfishing and ecotourism, part of a larger global trend of governments and local communities working collaboratively toward conservation.

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With eyes on COP24 in Poland, a Dutch success story offers inspiration

Lizan Nijkrake

December 07, 2018 |

Open Canada |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Netherlands

With national governments around the world dragging their feet when it comes to honoring their commitments to curb carbon emissions, some citizens are finding success in court. In 2015, a coalition of unlikely Dutch citizens, including a DJ, entrepreneurs, and national weathermen, successfully sued the Dutch government for endangering them by not cutting gas emissions enough. The court then ruled that the Netherlands had to cut the nation’s emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

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Elsa and Nosipho: they both sell sex for a living, but in opposite worlds

Mia Malan

December 06, 2018 |

Bhekisisa |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Amsterdam

In many countries, sex work is illegal which means that those working in the industry have very few rights when it comes to sexual abuse. Amsterdam is one of the few places where this line of work is legal, however, and because of this, workers not only have rights, but are able to also advocate for better practices.

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This impoverished region is a hub for the cheetah trade. Now it's fighting back.

Simon Worrall

December 04, 2018 |

National Geographic |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Somalia, Somaliland

Cheetah cubs are routinely smuggled through Somaliland on their way to being illegally trafficked in United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia. Although small and resource-deprived, Somaliland is taking a stand against this practice through increased regulations and punishments.

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Investigating Hate

Kathy Dobie

December 01, 2018 |

Harper's Magazine |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Since 2002, New York City’s Hate Crime Task Force (HCTF) has solved every single hate crime homicide and gang assault. While hate crimes are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute, the HCTF has developed methods like predictive models and alternative questioning tactics that strengthen their work. The unit has had strong support from marginalized communities, but now under new leadership, the sustainability of their successes are being called into question.

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Separated by travel ban, Iranian families reunite at border library

Yeganeh Torbati

November 28, 2018 |

Reuters |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Derby Line, Vermont

Iranian families are sidestepping the U.S. Muslim ban inside a library. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is located in both Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec. Dozens of Iranian families have briefly reunited in the library, which acts as unofficial political gray zone. “You don’t need your passport. You park on your side, I’ll park on my side, but we’re all going to walk in the same door.”

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Government data is transforming France

Anoush Darabi

November 26, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

In France, a digital transformation is taking place. To lay the groundwork, the country passed the Digital Republic Act in 2016, which mandated local and central government to publish documents and public data, a significant step toward transparency and open data. Government taskforce Etalab, which has attracted top tech talent, built on that foundation by launching data.gouv.fr, a portal that hosts over 40,000 public datasets, and other organizations have coordinated collaborative open data projects between cities.

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