June-July 2021
Dear Friends:

I am pleased to share new updates from the USC Price Center for Social Innovation. We collaborated with Alliance for a Better Community (ABC) to put together The Latino/a Scorecard: A Policy Roadmap for Transforming Los Angeles, which highlights the opportunities and challenges facing Latino/as in Los Angeles County.

As always, thank you for your interest and support of the Price Center. I can be reached directly at gpainter@usc.edu if you would like to connect.

Best,
Gary Painter 
Director, USC Price Center for Social Innovation
Director, Homelessness Policy Research Institute
DID YOU MISS...?
TOP STORIES
The Latino/a Scorecard Report: A Policy Roadmap for Transforming Los Angeles

By: Alliance for a Better Community 
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We were pleased to collaborate with the Alliance for a Better Community (ABC) on the recently published report, The Latino/a Scorecard Report: A Policy Roadmap for Transforming Los Angeles which answers a series of critical questions about the opportunities and challenges facing Latino/as in Los Angeles County, and establishes a score in different focus areas. The Scorecard uplifts the assets that Latino/as bring to the county as well as highlight opportunity gaps that have acted as barriers that prevent Latino/a communities from fully thriving. The Scorecard culminates into a report with secondary research analyses and public policy recommendations – informed by issue experts and community – across various areas. These recommendations will be moved forward in advocacy and organizing efforts across each area.
NEW FROM NDSC
New Data Story:

 Lessons Learned: Cash Payments for the Economically Distressed

By: Aileen Qin
Many residents of Los Angeles struggle to meet their basic needs such as food and safe housing on a daily basis, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened these difficulties for many. College students are particularly vulnerable to being unable to pay for basic necessities due to the existing barriers to employment, combined with the economic downturn and lack of jobs caused by the pandemic. One possible solution to help this at-risk population better meet their basic needs is to provide emergency aid, frequently in the form of cash transfers. These payments ensure that in times of distress, vulnerable populations can meet their basic needs. Further, the lessons learned from cash payments to these at-risk populations can have wider applications for other innovative cash transfer programs like Universal Basic Income.
ICYMI: Social Impact Bonds 2.0
The complexity of social problems, paired with constrained public resources, requires social innovators to identify new approaches for financing the delivery of social services. Social impact bonds (SIBs), which launched approximately ten years ago, offer one such financing mechanism. Learn more about SIBs, which is also referred to as Pay for Success.
FACULTY CORNER
Ann Owens
Scholarly Contributions:

Ann Owens, Associate Director of the Price Center for Social Innovation, recently co-authored a new article in the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness titled "Identifying Progress Toward Ethnoracial Achievement Equity Across U.S. School Districts: A New Approach." Ann and her colleagues explore new ways to quantify progress towards closing the racial achievement gap.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Outlet: Sacramento Bee
California has a radical homebuying plan
Outlet: HousingWire
As Biden narrows immigration focus, Dreamers try to stay optimistic
Outlet: The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles has a Housing Crises. Can Design Help?
Outlet: The New York Times
‘New York City Is a World Unto Itself.’ But It May Tell Us Where Democrats Are Headed.
Outlet: The New York Times
Mothers struggle to return to work as California reopens
Outlet: CalMatters
Why The "Worker Shortage" Is A Reflection Of Low Wages & The Pandemic Forced Moms To Leave The Workforce
Outlet: KALW
Foreclosures are at a record low … for now
Outlet: Marketplace
What Biden's 100 million budget proposal means for school integration
Outlet: NBC News
Outlet: OC Register
ONGOING AT THE PRICE CENTER
Our Commitment
TO ANTI-RACIST VALUES
In the wake of our nation’s call to dismantle systemic racism in our society, the Price Center is redoubling our commitment to embedding anti-racist values in all of the work that we do. Policy and systems change is necessary to address the deep-rooted structural inequities.
COVID-19
NDSC COVID-19 DATA MAP
Our map will help our community better understand where cases of COVID-19 exist within the county, as well as the underlying vulnerabilities faced by Los Angeles residents. It is updated daily with information from the LA County Department of Public Health.
For more information on events, please email Events & Administrative Coordinator
Stacia Fewox at stacia.fewox@usc.edu.
The USC Price Center for Social Innovation develops ideas and illuminates strategies to improve the quality of life for people in low-income urban communities.
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CENTER 

Contact Megan Goulding, Director of External Relations,
(213) 821-1761 or mgouldin@usc.edu. 

Visit socialinnovation.usc.edu to explore our current research and events, 
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