Weekly Urban News Update
September 14 , 2018
In This Update
Vulnerable Populations and Extreme Weather
Meanwhile, in the Pacific...
Boom to Bus to Boom Again
Mow-to-Own: Combatting Vacancies in St. Louis
Thinking Green: Smart Technology and Gaming
The Private Sector and the Sustainable Development Goals
This Week Around the World
Remembering Bob Dubinsky
Storm Watch in the Atlantic and the Pacific

Vulnerable Populations and Extreme Weather
Hurricane Florence has made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina with winds at 90 mph. Observers are frequently fascinated by those individuals and families who  who do not evacuate  their towns and homes  during dangerous storms. But for some, evacuation is not an option. This is especially true for the elderly, disabled, and homeless.  The Huffington Post takes a look at how vulnerable populations face the most risk during natural disasters and weather extremities. Low-income residents feel its impact in other ways as well. CityLab examines whether proximity to the nuclear power plants near Wilmington, North Carolina and Williamsburg, Virginia poses a larger risk to low-income and minority populations than to their more affluent neighbors.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific...
Concerns about climate change have increasingly framed natural disasters and extreme weather as a global issue. Weather this past summer has left Japan feeling under siege: eighty died from an extreme heatwave, Typhoon Jebi battered Japan as its strongest typhoon in twenty-five years, and earthquake-induced landslides followed shortly thereafter. South of Japan, the  Philippines braces for Typhoon Mangkhut , expected to make landfall on Saturday. Approximately twenty typhoons strike the Philippines each year, but Mangkhut, with a 550 mile width and 173 mph winds, is by far the the most dangerous of 2018. In San Francisco, the Global Climate Action Summit (September 13th-14th), sees a relationship between climate change and extreme weather. Participants seek to formulate global policies to address these issues, by  integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development  Goals.
The 2008 Housing Crisis, Ten Years After

Boom to Bust to Boom Again 
As part of its "Crisis and Consequences" series that explores the decade anniversary of the Great Recession, the New York Times looks at North Las Vegas,  the epicenter  of the 2008 housing bust. During the nadir of the Recession, one out of three homes was foreclosed. Today,  the uneven pace of economic recovery in North Las Vegas has contributed to rising house prices and increasing rent: h ousing prices are up more than 135 percent since the nadir of the 2008 Housing Crisis and rent increase rates are among the highest in the country. The New York Times argues that the housing boom in North Las Vegas is a "warning sign" of a potential economic downturn.

Mow-to-Own: Combating Vacancies in St. Louis
The Great Recession dramatically increased the number of vacant properties in the United States- from 9.5 million in 2005 to 12 million in 2010. "Nothing good happens in a vacancy," asserts the St. Louis mayor's office. By this logic, within the St. Louis city limits, there are 25,000 properties where nothing good is happening. To improve community quality of living and raise neighborhood value, the city has employed a Mow-to-Own program: for $125 residents can buy vacant lots adjacent to their homes and if they mow or tend to the property for two years, they can own it. Partially economic, partially driven by civic responsibility, some participants see it as "(their) chance to give back to (their) immediate community."
Around Greater Washington, D.C.

Thinking Green: Smart Technology and Gaming
The University of Maryland has released an app designed to encourage commuters to abandon their cars in favor of public transportation. Incentrip, currently piloted in D.C. and Maryland, is a game where  commuters accumulate points through transportation choices. CityLab's Linda Poon explains : by car, her commute from Silver Spring, Maryland to Foggy Bottom receives 3 points whereas riding the metro garners 87 and biking awards 117 points. Once a player has collected enough points, they can convert the points into real-life prizes, such as gift cards to Amazon, Apple, and Google.  Georgia Tech researcher Kari Watkins remains wary: "If it takes you twice as long...then that adds up to a lot of money if you value your time at, say, $20 an hour. Nothing about gamification is going to change that part of the equation."

Local Event: The Private Sector and the Sustainable Development Goals
On Wednesday, September 19, 2018, the Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a conversation on:  "The Role of the Private Sector in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals ." As an active proponent of the compatibility of INGO, private sector, and community and city efforts, IHC is eager  to hear the input of Parag Mehta (Executive Director, Mastercard), John Morris (CEO, 17 Asset Management), Kelsey Freeman (Manager, Policy and Public Affairs at Nestle) and CSIS fellows Johanna Nesseth Tuttle and Daniel F. Runde. Can't make the event? CSIS is webcasting it live.

Find event information here.
This Week Abroad
  • Everybody is talking about Sweden: Due to the popularity of a right-wing populist party in Sweden, political commentators in the U.S. have honed in on last weekend's election. Rick Noak makes the case  housing policy in and around Stockholm influenced political and electoral realignments.
  • Forging Bonds Across the Channel: London Mayor Sadiq Khan and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged cities around the world to divest from fossil fuels. The mayors noted: "This summer it seemed as if our two cities had changed places. London was hot and dry while New York had days and days of rain."
Remembering Bob Dubinsky

Scores of colleagues and friends joined IHC Global Co-Chair Bob Dubinsky's wife Louise and other family at the Cosmos Club on September 8 to celebrate his life.  Moving tributes to Bob's many professional contributions and deep commitment to housing and urban issues included remarks by Peter Kimm, IHC Global Chairman Emeritus and former Director of USAID's Office of Housing and Urban Development who talked about Bob's wide-ranging international career. IHC Global mourns Bob's passing, celebrates his great humanity and is grateful for the seminal role that he played in its c reation and growth and all he did to advance its mission. More information about Bob can be found  here.

An aerial view of Hurricane Florence, p ublished September 13th, by NBC

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Spread the word! Join us!

Help IHC Global spread our message by forwarding our newsletter to organizations and people who want to help create inclusive and sustainable cities. Support IHC Global further by becoming a member of our growing coalition.  Please join us either as an individual or as an organization.  Your financial support and your voice are vitally important With your U.S. tax deductible membership, you will provide meaningful help in addressing the worldwide challenges of rapid urban growth, urban poverty and inequity. Help IHC Global "change cities for good" and secure a better urban future for us all- we need your help and your voice more than ever.

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