Four Degrees to the Streets

New York City is the largest city in the United States, greater than the next largest (Los Angeles) by roughly 5 million people, it is also the 13th largest city in the world. The New York Metropolitan area or the Tri-State area (NJ, NY, CT) contain 7% of the U.S population and contribute 12% to the national GDP (gross domestic product).

The region is home to millions of people and jobs, cultural and historic resources, environmental treasures, international ports, and so much more, all thriving off of the city’s 24 hour + 7 day a week subway system.

However, that system, including the actual mechanics and infrastructure (cables, switches, train cars, etc.), stations and platforms, and access points are all in need of improvement and modernization. In January 2025, the City of New York launched its congestion tolling or congestion pricing system to disincentivize driving in one of the world's most gridlocked areas - Midtown Manhattan and to finance the much needed capital repairs along the city's transit system. 

Join the host of the Four Degrees to the Streets Podcast in conversation with Tiffany-Ann Taylor, Vice President of Transportation for the Regional Plan Association, the region's oldest and premier urban planning research and advocacy organization dating back to 1922, as we discuss the impact of congestion pricing and the opportunities/challenges facing the New York Tri-State area for the years to come. 

Share theses insights from the episode: 

1. Congestion pricing revenue is forecasted to generate $1B annually and is designated for MTA capital improvements. 
2. New York City is the first city in the United States to implement a congestion pricing network, inspiring many North American cities including Toronto, Canada and Los Angeles, California to consider congestion tolling of their own. 
3. The New York City metropolitan area struggles with the compounding challenge of an old system, with many parts of the system 100+ years old, and the impacts of climate change that cause freezing, flooding, and overheating of various parts of the transit system. 

Note: This episode was recorded in November 2024 prior to the tolling starting in January 2025 and prior to President Trump proposed changes to the program. Read the Regional Plan Association Press Release here: RPA Statement on Trump Administration Plan to Revoke Congestion Pricing  

Links:

Contact RPA  

RPA.org / @regionplan on X / @regional_plan on Instagram 

Follow the Four Degrees to the Streets Podcast on Instagram @the4degreespod

The United States government spends more than $600 billion on goods and services sourced from third-party suppliers. As the largest consumer in the world, the U.S government issues thousands of contracts to companies. With that opportunity comes the responsibility to distribute contract dollars equitably, across a wide range of business classifications and avoid providing an advantage to one type of business. Supplier diversity involves the policies, procedures, and programs that support equitable inclusion of small and/or diverse organizations in access and receipt of vendor contracts. In this episode, the host of the Four Degrees to the Streets Podcast sit down with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategist Jaime Coleman to advise small business on how to bid for a government contract and to examine how governments are performing on their equity in procurement/supplier diversity goals. 

Jaime Coleman most recently served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategist for a midsize city in North Carolina. As a one-person department, Jaime ideated and led all internal DEI learning & development and its corresponding compliance, reviewed and revised policies, engaged with stakeholders to establish trust with the municipality, represented the organization at various community and cultural events, and facilitated relationships between internal departments and historically underutilized businesses (HUB).

Jaime’s career started in Higher Education. Priding herself on being well-read and well-researched, Jaime believes that knowledge, open-mindedness, and understanding are essential tools to address many social ills. With years of experience as an Adjunct, she uses her facilitation skills to deliver interactive workshops that create openness, and equip and inspire the audience to take meaningful action. Jaime is a passionate advocate for people. She understands the importance of internal culture and its impact on external constituents.

Personally, Jaime cherishes time with her husband and children. Jaime is an avid reader, a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor, and a seasoned traveler. Jaime earned her MBA from Georgetown University, holds a Master's from NYU, and her Bachelor's is from Rutgers University. Jaime appreciates invitations to contribute and promises to deliver.

Share these insights from this episode: 

1. The United States federal government has procurement targets for each business classification for every department. 
2. The local chamber of commerce, economic development department, small business resource center, and community college are excellent resources for small businesses. 
3. Jaime Coleman shares a five-step process for small businesses to earn contracts with local, state, and federal governments.

Resources:

New Jersey Disparity Study: A Study on the Availability and Utilization of Small, Minority, Women, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses

Massachusetts Performance Audit

NC MWBE Coordinators Network

FAA DBE Program

Equity in Federal Government Procurement Literature Review

In 2019 Minneapolis, Minnesota became the 1st city to eliminate single-family zoning. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul region continues to be a leader in urban planning and economic development practices. Yet the region, like others across the U.S, continues to struggle with poverty, unemployment, and housing affordability issues. Join us in a conversation with Minneapolis native and experienced planner: Breanne Rothstein, AICP, founder and CEO of Thrive Consulting on how to improve quality of life by shifting the focus of economic development to investing in people and community. 

Breanne Rothstein, AICP, is founder and CEO of Thrive Consulting, a firm that seeks to connect communities to the abundance in the economy by creating economic development and housing solutions through policy and programs. Breanne has a distinct passion for communities and strives to help them be welcoming places through meaningful, inclusive community partnerships. She offers over 20 years of experience of community development and organizational development in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She is a powerful speaker and trainer, and has presented over 50 panels, sessions, and workshops on topics of zoning reform, housing finance, and inclusive economic development strategies.

Share these insights from this episode: 

1. Traditional economic development practices in local/city governments have focused on growing the tax base and bringing jobs to the neighborhood but these objectives are often missed and not in alignment with the economic and growth needs of residents and small businesses. 
2. Small business centers, down-payment assistance programs, talent/industry cultivation, micro-loans (<$10,000), and affordable housing are examples of economic development that invests in people. 
3. An adjustment of permitted/not-permitted vs. conditioned land uses can be an effective strategy to reduce red-tape or barriers to housing development. 

Links to resources: 

Thrive Consulting 

Metropolitan Council 

Breanne Rothstein AICP

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are the leading causes of death in the United States. Across the country it is easier for a family to get a variety of fast junk food than it is to get fresh vegetables and protiens. Food deserts are defined by the USDA (Department of Agriculture) as a low income community more than 1 mile from a grocery store or supermarket, there are 45 million Americans of all backgrounds living in food desert communities. Some are doubly hurt by also living in an area with a lot of liquor stores, tobacco shops, and fast food brands known as ‘food swamps’. Download the episode to learn about the strategies available to solve the food desert problem in urban areas. 

Share these insights from this episode: 

1. Urban farms, transit oriented developments, zoning, and state-tax credits are some strategies applied to solve improve access to quality healthy food 
2. 14% of the U.S population, roughly 45 Million people live within a food desert 
3. Programs that increase supply of healthy food in food desert neighborhoods report an increase in consumption of fresh food

Links to resources: 

USDA Food Desert Map

USDA Research Report: Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts

The Social-Ecological Model of Health

Food Swamps Predict Obesity Rates Better Than Food Deserts in the United States

Lyft Up Grocery Access

Brookings Institution Research: Delivering to deserts: New data reveals the geography of digital access to food in the U.S.

New Jersey Healthy Corner Store Program

Truman Olsen Redevelopment 

Safe Routes to Healthy Food

MARTA Fresh Markets

Columbia Heights Restoring a Historic Neighborhood

New Jersey Food Desert Relief Supermarket Tax Credit Program

New York State Food Retail Expansion to Support Health    

Thank you to all of our listeners for a great season 4! In this bonus episode, Nimo and Jas recap the season, memorable moments, special guests, and our accomplishments over the last four years. We’ve reached over 10,000 total downloads, 27 countries, and over 6,000 unique listeners. The Podcast will be back with new episodes for season 5 in Fall 2024.

News for next season: Nimo will be taking a break. However, Jas will continue to host Season 5. 

Thank you for listening and tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

It's difficult to argue Tyler Perry's influence in the entertainment industry and Black media. Twenty-four feature films, 20 stage plays, 17 television shows, and two New York Times bestselling books. In this episode, Nimo and Jas uncover the impact of Tyler Perry Studios (TPS) and the physical footprint implications in Atlanta. TPS opened its 330 acres in 2019 after purchasing land that was the former Fort McPherson military base. Press play to hear: 

• History of Fort McPherson and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) that led to closing multiple bases across the country
• Examples of other military base redevelopments, consistent themes, and community concerns
• A review of the benefits and consequences of Tyler Perry Studios over the past five years 

Thank you for a great Season Four! Episodes will return in Fall 2024.  

Thank you for listening and tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources

The effect of film production studios on housing prices in Atlanta, the Hollywood of the South

Oakland City Fort Mac 

Fort McPherson Draft Master Plan 2021 

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 

Once feared, redevelopment of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base has been resounding success

Governor Murphy and Netflix Announce Plans to Build State-of-the-Art East Coast Production Facility at Fort Monmouth

Netflix moving ahead with plan to build N.J. mega studio

'Hollywood of the South:' After a decade, industry leaders succeed in making Atlanta a hub for filmmakers of color

Tyler Perry on Building an Entertainment Empire in Atlanta - BNN Bloomberg

Nina Simone sang, "To be young, gifted, and Black." For today's episode, we'll add one more: to be young, gifted, Black, and a planner! Nimo and Jas sat down with Kamau As-Salaam, the Assistant Director of Planning and Zoning for Henry County, Georgia, part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, where the population is expected to increase by 1.8 million by 2050. Kamau participated in and facilitated Henry County's 2045 Comprehensive Plan, zoning code updates, housing affordability measures, and diversification of Henry County's housing stock. Kamau has a bachelor's degree in History with a minor in Geography from Tennessee State University and a master's degree in City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Press play to hear: 

• Unique challenges and solutions when working at the county level with competing growth priorities
• Kamau's motivation for working in the planning field and local government experience
• Navigating the industry as a Black male planner and recommendations for diversifying future generations of planners 
• Planning hot takes in 30 seconds or less

Questions for Kamau? Send him an email: [email protected]

Thank you for listening. Tune in every other Tuesday, when Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Announcements

Smart Growth America's Equity Summit is March 27-28. Nimo will moderate the panel: "Building momentum: Lessons from frontline advocates & government leaders"

Stay tuned for APA Women Entrepreneurs in Urban Planning March 14 recording featuring Jas and fellow women entrepreneurs

You may remember our first in-person episode, “Where The Money Reside,” from Season 1. In it, we explained the budgeting process in local governments and briefly mentioned examples of how cities can incorporate equity into the budget process. Today, we’re following up with a deeper dive into budget equity as a tool to address historic and present inequalities throughout programs and plans that lead to effective change and implementation. PolicyLink’s Equity Manifesto defines equity as just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Press play to hear:

• An overview of budget equity best practices and how to use it
• Explanations of how six cities across the country used a budget equity tool: Dallas, Seattle, Nashville, Tacoma, Portland, New York City

Thank you for listening and tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Where to find us this month:

March 14:  Women Entrepreneurs in Urban Planning - Zoom (American Planning Association Women and Planning Division)

March 28: Smart Growth America Equity Summit - In-Person

Resources:

Where The Money Reside (S1E8): Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Instagram Visuals

Los Angeles Budget Review: How-to video

The Equity Manifesto | PolicyLink

Dallas: Big Audacious Goals

Dallas Equity Indicators Report

Dallas Racial Equity Plan 

Dallas 2022-2023 Budget 

Dallas Equity Dashboard + Equity Budget Allocations   

Seattle Racial Equity Toolkit

Nashville Budget Equity Tool

Tacoma 2025

Tacoma Participatory Budgeting

Tacoma Equity and Human Rights

Portland Bureau Racial Equity Plans

Portland Budget Equity Assessment Tool

Portland Budget Equity Resolution

NYC Parks Framework for an Equitable Future 2014

Happy Black History Month! This week, we have a special guest, Ross Murph, aka MORFBOSS, a professional genealogist born in New York with Southern roots. He uses his research to uplift people and uncover overlooked parts of history. Ross shares examples from Los Angeles, CA, and Washington, DC, to tell the history of Black and Latino land loss. According to the American Bar Association, as an example, by 1997, Black farmers lost more than 90 percent of the 16 million acres they owned in 1910. This massive decline was possible through white privilege, power, and influence with local government officials to exploit laws. This presents itself in urban planning and real estate through government misuse of eminent domain, compensation below market value, discriminatory tax assessments, and coordinated discrimination. Press play to hear: 

• Nimo & Jas share personal stories of ancestry and land ownership  
• Arlington Freedman’s Village (now Arlington National Cemetery) and its history of slavery and emancipation
• Land loss related to Pio Pico, the last governor of Alta California under Mexican rule

Learn more from Ross and follow him @morfboss on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Thank you for listening and tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources

Property Rights: The Neglected Theme of 20th-Century American Planning

Property Rights in American History - Hillsdale College

Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities (Book)

Taking on State Law in Defense of Family Farms - The Piedmont Environmental Council

Freedman's Village - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

Whose Land? Claims at Arlington Estate - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

John Bryce Syphax 

Freedman's Village

Vast Swaths of Southern California Once Belonged to Pío Pico

Pilar (Bernal) Pico will regarding land (Newspaper Article)

The podcast often discusses how human activity and policies impact the natural and built environment. In today’s episode, Nimo and Jas share vital tools and resources to help you understand the environmental condition of your community and how to use the tools to make decisions in your personal life. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is the source for most of the tools below. EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment by ensuring clean air, land, and water with federal regulations. Press play to hear: 

• Walk Score: An online tool that allows you to determine the pedestrian, biker, and transit user accessibility of a location.
• EPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator: Helps you calculate your home or small business carbon footprint and identify ways to reduce it.
• CoolClimate Maps: An analysis of household carbon profiles for each zip code, city, county, and state.
• EPA Environmental Justice (EJ) Screen: A mapping tool that helps identify areas where residents may be disproportionately affected by environmental pollution.
• EPA How’s My Waterway?: Interactive data/mapping about the condition of local waters based on federal, state, and local government reporting

Thank you for listening and tune in every other Tuesday where Nimo and Jas keep it Four Degrees to the Streets.

Follow us on X and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources

Walk Score

EJScreen Tool

What is EJScreen? | US EPA

Carbon Footprint Calculator | Climate Change | US EPA

Simplified GHG Emissions Calculator | US EPA

CoolClimate Maps