Social / Demographics

California Secures $16.2 Million HUD Grant for Affordable Housing
The funding will be used to develop affordable housing, reduce regulatory barriers, and address systemic racism in land use policies.

Cincinnati Eviction Prevention Program Shows Mixed Results
In 2019, a large affordable housing operator implemented a unique program meant to reduce evictions across its properties. Several years, one pandemic, and an economic downturn later, we check in to see how the landlord — and the tenants — are faring.

Opinion: TOPA Needs Capital to Succeed
TOPA helps prevent displacement and build tenant power in Washington, DC. Affordable capital is critical to its success.

Strength in Diversity: Crafting an Affordable Housing Coalition in Cincinnati
The city’s longtime champions of housing for low-income residents joined forces with an array of allies to establish a sustainable source of funding for affordable housing.

Revitalizing Toxic Sites Using Fungi and Plants
Fungi and plants are being used to detoxify polluted sites, turning hazardous brownfields into vibrant meadows and empowering communities with eco-friendly remediation skills.

Phoenix Nonprofit Offers Medical Services to Unhoused Residents
The mobile medical units are administering IV fluids and treating heat-related illnesses as extreme heat blankets the Southwest.

LA County Releases Funding for Parkland Acquisition in Underserved Communities
Los Angeles County has released $14.5 million in Measure A grant funds to support parkland acquisition in high-need areas, aiming to create additional green spaces and advance environmental justice and equity.

Busting Myths About Homelessness
Challenging common misconceptions about unhoused Californians with data.

California’s 2024 Drinking Water Needs Assessment Reveals Critical Issues in Public Water Systems
The assessment identifies 385 failing public water systems and highlights significant funding gaps and affordability challenges in ensuring safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities.

California's Struggle to End Neighborhood Oil Drilling Faces Fierce Industry Opposition
Assembly Bill 1866 aims to address the health hazards caused by idle oil wells in low-income communities by enforcing stricter regulations on oil companies to accelerate well cleanup, despite significant opposition from the oil industry.

North Dakota Tribe Reclaims Agricultural Heritage with Massive Greenhouse Project
The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in North Dakota is launching a massive greenhouse project to regain their agricultural heritage and achieve food sovereignty.

California Voters to Decide on Major Climate Funding in November
Californians will determine whether to approve a $10 billion bond for climate and environmental projects, which seeks to address critical issues such as wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, and protection of disadvantaged communities.

EPA Report Highlights Dire Impacts of Climate Change
The latest edition of the “Climate Change Indicators in the United States” report highlights the severe and widespread impacts of climate change on health and the environment, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate these effects.

Oil Industry Withdraws Ballot Measure, Shifts to Legal Fight Over California Well Restrictions
California's oil industry has withdrawn its ballot measure challenging a law that restricts oil and gas wells near homes and schools, opting to contest the law in court.

LA County Parks Celebrates 80 Years with Free Summer Programs
The department has launched the ‘Let’s Play Outside’ campaign as part of its celebration of eight decades of fostering connections between LA County residents and the great outdoors.

Repurposing Oil Fields Into Parks: Advancing Just Transition and Community Well-being
The concept of a "just transition" extends beyond workers to encompass broader social and environmental dimensions, including the restoration and regeneration of land and communities affected by oil extraction activities.

The Heat Is On: Rising Temperatures Strain Urban Infrastructure
This summer is predicted to be one of the hottest on record, and heat waves will likely put physical and social infrastructure to the test.

Reining in Rising Property Insurance Rates
There are many proposed ways to mitigate the property insurance cost crisis. They all require action from federal or state governments.

Managing Unsheltered Homelessness in San Jose
As California and other Western states await a SCOTUS ruling that will greatly affect how cities deal with tent encampments, a new stakeholder is causing big changes in how Northern California's largest city deals with its unsheltered population.

Preserving Fort Worth’s Historic Black Settlements
Communities dating back to the 1830s are under threat from development, pollution, and zoning regulations.
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