This report from NPR looks at the efforts of one educator to help rebuild communities in New Orleans by rebuilding the city's charter school system.
"Even though James Meza doesn't wear the uniform of a first responder, he is doing rescue work. Meza is saving the children of New Orleans from the miserable education system they had before Hurricane Katrina."
"Meza hopes that the presence of a solid school will jumpstart the recovery. That's the big picture. But walking around the school, Meza gets a smaller reward: The halls are full of the sound of children learning."
"A year-and-a-half ago, most of the homes in the middle-class Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans were vacant or obscured by piles of debris. Today, most of the trash is gone."
"But the people are still missing. It's the grim view that Meza sees on his way to work every day."
"Still, he feels his schools are clearly helping the surrounding neighborhoods."
FULL STORY: Educator's Charter Schools Help Revive New Orleans
Hard to Get to Class in Charter-Only New Orleans
In a district now comprised entirely of charter schools, many New Orleans children face hour-plus journeys. This makes for increased stress on low-income families and a potential rise in chronic absenteeism.
Slow Progress in East New Orleans
In this piece from Places, Deborah Gans offers a firsthand look at planning for recovery in the city's neglected East side.
Local Rebuilding Efforts Underpin New Orleans' Recovery
The recovery of New Orleans is happening in many small ways. One of them is the work of community groups to rebuild and re-inhabit damaged homes.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating
A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research