Four Degrees to the Streets

In honor of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday earlier this month, Nimo and Jas traced the dream back to the 1960s at the height of the civil rights movement. Following the March on Washington and his famous "I Have A Dream" speech, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, authorizing the federal government to enforce desegregation and prohibit discrimination. We explored Dr. King's tremendous legacy and how that has impacted black people in the United States then and now. Press play to hear:  

• Reactions to Dr. King's "The Other America" speech on housing discrimination
• A comparison of social and economic measures within the black population from the 1960s to the present day, such as homeownership rates, incarceration rates, life expectancy, poverty level, education attainment, black-owned businesses, and more

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Subscribe or send us an email to connect with us!

RESOURCES:

Read MLK's 'The Other America' Housing Speech As It Turns 55 Years Old - Inman 

King's Dream Remains an Elusive Goal; Many Americans See Racial Disparities

US Census Bureau: Black Americans: A Profile

The US Income Distribution: Trends and Issues 

Income of Families and Persons in the United States: 1960

Homeownership-Past, Present, and Future 

Black Homeownership Gap: Research Trends And Why The Growing Gap Matters  

Unemployment rate 2.7 percent for people ages 45 to 54, 8.3 percent for 16 to 24 in October 2018 

The Unfinished March: An Overview | Economic Policy Institute

Examining the Impact of Structural Racism on Food Insecurity: Implications for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities

Household Food Security in the United States in 2020

Obesity - United States, 1988--2008

The History of the MBDA | Minority Business Development Agency

20 Black-Owned Business Statistics for 2021

The Sentencing Project

According to the Population Reference Bureau, over 55 million Americans are 65 or older. And by 2030, 26 states will have over 20 percent of their residents over the age of 65. This podcast is for anyone curious about places and spaces, their community, and how to make it better. So it is only fitting to discuss what it means to age in place, which is staying in your own residence as you age for as long as you can. To do so successfully, older adults need to access necessary services to maintain the quality of life that they choose. Press play to hear: 

• An overview of life expectancy data based on region and where people are living longer
• Successful metrics for aging in place and national rankings
• A conversation on mobility and safe stress for older adults

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Subscribe or send us an email to connect with us!

RESOURCES: 

Life Beyond 65: Changing Spatial Patterns of Survival at Older Ages in the United States

PRB: Which US States Have the Oldest Populations?

Milken Institute: Best Cities for Successful Aging 2017

The Commuting Patterns of Older Workers: 2013–2017 

Smart Growth America: Dangerous By Design 2021

8 80 Cities: 8 80 Streets Danforth Engagement Report

Happy Holidays! Nimo and Jas are back this week with another "how-to" episode. There are many resources available to explore the world around you from a planning perspective, such as the social impacts and economic functions in a specific place. However, these tools are accessible for everyone. They may empower you to find the answers to your questions about why your neighborhood, town, city, or state is the way that it is today. Press play to hear: 

• How to use Census data to explore people who live in your neighborhood and their unique identifiers such as age, race, income, and more
• Tips for researching the budget and spending in your neighborhood and how they plan for future development
• Affordable housing developments and what area median income means based on where you live
• Tools that measure inequities, opportunity, poverty, and inclusion 

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Subscribe or send us an email to connect with us!

RESOURCES:

US Census Bureau QuickFacts

Social Explorer (Interactive Data Visualization)

State and Local Finance Data: Exploring the Census of Governments

State Fiscal Briefs

What everyone should know about their state’s budget

State Websites Offer Fiscal Data on Local Governments

Denver: Community Planning and Development

RISE Denver - From Rescue, to Economic Recovery

Propel Denver

Fair Market Rents - HUD User

Income inequality in the U.S. by state, metropolitan area, and county

Measuring Inclusion in America's Cities

Out Of Reach | National Low Income Housing Coalition

US Census Bureau Data Equity Tools 

Spatial Equity Data Tool

Government Alliance on Race and Equity

No two planners are the same from their title, educational journey, and interest areas. Even though Nimo and Jas have a total of four degrees in planning, neither of them works in traditional planning roles. This week, they had the pleasure of interviewing Jasmine Burnett and Michelle Juma to add their perspective on life after studying planning. 

Jasmine Burnett is based in Atlanta, GA. Her work focuses on building self-determined and liberated Black communities based on cooperative economics. Jasmine is also a co-founder and co-owner of The Spoons Consultancy, a Black-women-run and staffed creative consulting cooperative.

Michelle Juma is based in Washington, DC, and her work focuses on the full spectrum of affordable housing with expertise in equitable disaster recovery and revitalization. Michelle provides technical assistance to economically challenged rural, urban, and island communities, focusing on housing and community development.

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Subscribe or send us an email to connect with us!

The CDC’s eviction moratorium to block the eviction process for tenants who cannot pay rent ended on August 26, 2021. In a public health emergency like COVID-19, this ensures people can quarantine, isolate, and social distance to prevent the spread. This Supreme Court decision spurred national discussion on housing policies for the most vulnerable, financially-strained residents. This week, Nimo and Jas cover the status of wage growth, housing costs (and affordability) as we approach the final weeks of federal emergency renter assistance (ERA) programs and rising evictions in states and towns with little tenant protections. Press play to hear: 

• Data on gaps between wages and productivity in the last 40 years compared to home and rent prices
• Housing affordability as nearly half of renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing
• COVID-19 Minnesota case study: federal renters assistance and eviction moratoriums

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Subscribe or send us an email to connect with us!

RESOURCES:

The State of the Nation's Housing 2021

The Productivity–Pay Gap

How Home Prices and Household Incomes Changed Since 1960

HUD Rental Burdens: Rethinking Affordability Measures

Out Of Reach: The High Cost of Housing

Federal Moratorium on Evictions for Nonpayment of Rent

Study: Lifting Of Eviction Moratoriums Linked To Thousands Of Excess Deaths

Expiring Eviction Moratoriums and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality

RentHelpMN

MN Housing: The Eviction Moratorium is Ending

States lag in distributing rental assistance while millions are behind on rent

NLIHC ERA Spending Tracking

Welcome to season two of the Four Degrees to the Streets Podcast. We missed y’all and plan to deliver more relatable and informative episodes this year. Make sure to subscribe to our email list. Our first “how-to” themed episode covers the basics of how to make community engagement work for you in your neighborhood. The American Planning Association defines civic engagement as the process of working collaboratively with individuals and groups to achieve specific goals. Press play to hear: 

• Several definitions of community engagement, why it matters, and why the federal government requires input on certain projects
• Tips on how to get involved in community engagement if you don’t know where to start
• Real-world examples of the community engagement process in action and suggested improvements

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

RESOURCES:

CDC: Principles of Community Engagement

Arnstein's Ladder of Citizen Participation

Ladder of Citizen Participation – Organizing Engagement

40 CFR § 6.203 - Public participation. | CFR | US Law 

Cheat sheet for getting involved in the planning process

Forms of Community Engagement

NY Times: How to Participate in Politics

HUD: Get Involved in My Community

Open space variance denied for affordable senior housing project

Summary of Community Engagement

A Playbook for Inclusive Placemaking: Community Process

Hey, y’all! Thank you for a great first season. We’ll be back in Fall 2021 with more relatable urban planning content for the streets. In the season finale, Nimo and Jas dig into all things traffic safety. Specifically, the 4 E’s: Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Evaluation. Data shows that 49 out of 50 states are getting increasingly dangerous, and pedestrian fatalities are up 45 percent in the last 10 years. What policies and programs are addressing this public safety and public health crisis? Press play to hear:

• Crash data related to pedestrian fatalities across the country
• The importance of investing in engineering and road design that create safer behaviors on the road
• Tools to educate all road users about safety
• Pros and cons of enforcing traffic safety and disproportionate racial profiling events with Black and Brown people driving, walking, or using transit
• A look ahead at the transportation infrastructure funding priorities in the Biden Administration 

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources:

Dangerous by Design 2021 Update

Federal Highway Traffic Safety Policies: Impacts and Opportunities

Neighborhood Environment, Access to Places for Activity, and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in a Diverse North Carolina Population

Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: An idea book for fairer cities

Impact of a youth advocacy policy, systems and environmental change program for physical activity on perceptions and beliefs

Walking While Black

Vision, Strategies, Action: Guidelines for an Effective Vision Zero Action Plan

Vision zero: a toolkit for road safety in the modern era

National Complete Streets Coalition

Fact sheet: The American Jobs Plan

The White House: FY 2022 Discretionary Request

With Earth Day 2021 approaching this month, Nimo and Jas took time to analyze the cycle of climate change. Specifically, the relationship between climate, the built environment, human behavior, and the daily human experience in a world that is getting warmer every day. In recent times, 2015 to 2019 had the top five hottest years on record. And 19 of the 20 warmest years have occurred since 2001. Press play to hear:

• A brief explanation of the difference between climate and weather.
• An overview of specific human behaviors that lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Such as cement manufacturing or factory farming.
• Statistics that prove global temperature rising and extreme events associated with climate change like hurricanes and droughts.
• National policy goals related to combating climate change and individual steps you can take to reduce carbon footprints 

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources:

NASA Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

How Do We Know that Humans Are the Major Cause of Global Warming?

Human Behavioral Contributions to Climate Change-Psychological and Contextual Drivers

Per Capita GHG Emissions - WRI's Climate Analysis Indicators Tool

Climate Change: Global Temperature

Climate Change Indicators: Drought | Climate Change Indicators in the United States

Extreme Weather and Climate Change | C2ES

NPR: Climate Change Makes Hurricanes Like Laura More Likely

How Climate Change Is Fueling Extreme Weather

White House prepares massive infrastructure bill with universal pre-K, free community college, climate measures

Spencer Glendon at the 2019 Sohn Investment Conference

Happy Spring! This week we have a special treat. Nimo and Jas met up in DC for the first time since starting Four Degrees to the Streets to record this episode in-person. In addition to the audio recording, you can also watch this episode’s full visual recording on our Instagram. “Where the Money Reside” is all about how local governments develop their budget. The budget process determines implementation for policies, plans, and programs, which will naturally impact residents and their quality of life. Press play to hear: 

• An overview of every fiscal year’s budget process: formulation, legislation, execution, and accountability.
• Examples of how cities can incorporate equity into the budget process and accountability reporting.

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

Watch the special in-person episode here.

Watch the promotional video here.

Special thanks to video producer/director @vibesbyjune.

Filmed and recorded at CAMPspace content studio in Hyattsville, MD. 

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources:

Step-by-Step Activities in the Budget Process

Budget Preparation Procedures for Cities and Towns

Urban Institute State and Local Finance Initiative

NYC Guidelines for Capital Funding

What is the Local Government Annual Budget Process?

An introductory guide to creating local budgets

Are Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports Useless?

Strengthening Local Government Budgeting and Accountability

Budget Cycles

Seattle Racial Equity Toolkit

Seattle and Baltimore: Peer City Exchange on Outcome Budgeting & Racial Equity

City of Austin Equity Dashboard

San Antonio Equity Tool

If there is one thing most of us can agree on, the professional sports industry is fueled by money. Fan-based revenue is one of the major sources of income, and they need a place to call home. This week Nimo and Jas investigated the impact of sports stadium construction deals on cities, specifically the San Francisco 49ers Levi’s Stadium that opened in 2014. The average cost of an NFL stadium is $1.2 billion. Should local taxpayers and governments be responsible for paying for a portion of the costs? And is the perceived economic benefits of the stadium a valid argument why the public should chip in on the bill? Press play to hear:

• The sports economics literature on why or why not cities should invest in sports stadiums.
• History of the San Francisco 49ers team, locations, and impact compared to other NFL teams.
• A deep dive into the stadium deal between Santa Clara and the SF 49ers, including the initial ballot measure, project costs, and funding distribution by each party.
• Alternatives for funding and constructing sports stadiums with less public resources.

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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @the4degreespod.

Or send us an email to connect with us!

Resources:

How are we funding professional sports stadiums? An overview

Do Economists Agree on Anything? Yes!

The Economics of Sports Stadiums: Does public financing of sports stadiums create local economic growth, or just help billionaires improve their profit margin?

Forbes: Sports Money: 2020 NFL Valuations

Truth in Accounting: Financial State of Cities 2020

Bayview–Hunters Point, San Francisco

National Building Museum: Documenting Crossroads: The Coronavirus in Poor, Minority Communities

Game On: 49ers Stadium Measure Wins Approval – NBC Bay Area

Levi's Stadium: 49ers happy, Santa Clara may be on the hook

Santa Clara Stadium for the 49ers, Measure J (June 2010)

Hidden Subsidies and the Public Ownership of Sports Facilities: The Case of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara

Santa Clara Stadium Authority Financial Reports

What Can We Learn From Four Stadium Deals That Don't Suck?

Is There a Better Public Financing Option for Building Stadiums?

Gillette Stadium: A Family of Businesses