innovation and the city part ii

7/27/2019 Innovation and the City Part II

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InnovatIon

and tHe cIty

This report profiles 25 of the best policy innovationsrom cities across the U.S. and around the globegiving mayors and other municipal leaders the abilityto learn rom their peers and develop new policiesbased on models that have already proven eective.

August 2013www.nycuture.org

www.wagner.nyu.edu/labs

Part II


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The Wagner Innovation Labs are a part of the NYU

Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.They are a new series of experiments that marry theoryand practice to promote inormed, evidence-based pol-icy-making in a complex world. Each Lab has its ownocus and approach, and operates independently, but allreflect NYU Wagners broad commitment to bringingscholars, thinkers and practitioners together to enrichthe policy-making process.

www.wagner.nyu.edu/labs

The Center or an Urban Future is a NYC-based policy

institute dedicated to highlighting the critical opportu-nities and challenges acing New York and other citiesand providing resh ideas and workable solutions topolicymakers. The Centers primary ocus is on grow-ing and diversiying the local economy, expanding eco-nomic opportunity and targeting problems acing low-income and working-class neighborhoods.

www.nycuture.org

Idea 13: greener greater BuIldIngS

New York City, NY

Idea 14: InFraStructure truSt

Chicago, IL

Idea 15: green Factor

Seattle, WA; Washington, DC

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Idea 22: aPPlIed ScIenceS nyc coMPetItIon

New York City, NY

Idea 23: tHe PedeStrIan Plaza PrograM

New York City, NY

Idea 24: teacHer HoMeBuyer PrograM

San Jose, CA

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Idea 16: FaMIly and SenIor HoMeleSS

InItIatIve

Denver, CO

Idea 17: FaMIly vIolence unIt

Minneapolis, MN

Idea 18: SMartrIverSIde

Riverside, CA

11Idea 25: PartIcIPatory BudgetIng

New York City, NY; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA;Vallejo, CA; Toronto, Ontario

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Idea 19: tHe center For econoMIc

oPPortunIty (ceo)

New York City, NY

Idea 20: MIcrogrIdS

Hookerk, Netherlands; Sendai, Japan

Idea 21: coMMunIty InFraStructure levyLondon, United Kingdom

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When the interests, talents and resources of multiple stakeholders

converge, amazing things can happenthats the common thread that

runs through this exciting new report, which showcases 25 urban

policy innovations that are transorming cities in the U.S. and beyond.

Urbanization, digitization and globalizationthrough the rapid

advancement of new technologies and ceaseless migration to cit-

iesare shaping the way we create, participate in, and deliver public

services. These are the trends upon which Citi, through the Citi or

Cities initiative, is ocused, as together they are creating new ways of

looking at the world and new ways of interacting with each other.

Unsurprisingly, collaboration and experimentation are running

concepts throughout the report. Although the challenges of breaking

down silos persist, groundbreaking work in city ater city reminds us

that cross-sector partnerships and a willingness to test new ideas are

both essential to orging urban progress.

Around the world, businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools,

and individuals are collaborating with city governments to develop

eective and scalable solutions to a range of issues: rom incentivizing

private investment in public inrastructure projects in Chicago, to re-

ducing the impact of gangs on Los Angeles neighborhoods.

The Center or an Urban Future and NYU Wagner have docu-

mented a number of compelling urban innovations. Together, they

highlight how cities will continue to be the wellsprings of our best

ideas.

Bob Annibale

Global Director

Citi Microfinance and Community Development

Foreword


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As cities across the country and globe continue to

generate new solutions to a wide variety of vexing

problems, sharing inormation about what works

and what doesnt has become more important than

ever. Yet, outside of a ew prominent policies, the

vast majority of successul municipal experiments

never reach a national audience or, or that matter,

policymakers in similarly situated cities.

To help bridge this gap, the Center or an Ur-

ban Future and NYU Wagner published Innovation

and the City earlier this summer. Drawing upon

hundreds of interviews with mayors, agency chies,

policy institutes, corporations, labor unions and

philanthropic oundations, we identified some of the

boldest and most inventive urban policy reorms of

the last decade. But, in that report, which was gener-

ously unded by Citi Community Development, the

policies also had to address important needs in New

York City. And they had to be policies that could be

realistically implemented in New York, given the

Citys government structure and political climate. As

New York prepares or a new mayor or the first time

in 12 years, we elt that creating an inventory of the

best ideas rom other places would be a good way to

not only spotlight theoretical solutions but workable

programs that others have already started to imple-

ment and learn rom.

During our research, we discovered a lot of prom-

ising innovations that didnt match up well with New

Yorks needs or addressed problems that the City was

already conronting in a dierent way. So, in this sec-

ond edition of the report, we have loosened our cri-

teria to include policies that might not work in New

York but are important enough to merit replication

in other cities. These 25 policies come rom a diverse

group of municipalities and conront a variety of di-

erent kinds of problems.

For instance, we highlight Harrisburg, Penn-

sylvanias attempt to use the tax code to incentivize

development and discourage land speculation, as

well as San Franciscos innovative approach to tra-

fic congestion caused by drivers circling or parking

spots. We profile Londons Community Inrastruc-

ture Levy, which provides policymakers with a new

tool to finance transit upgrades and other major

inrastructure investments, as well as a program in

Camden, New Jersey that cuts down on expensive

emergency room visits by hotspotting so-called su-

per-utilizers of medical care.

And since we are no longer canvassing policies

or a new mayor in New York, we highlight six of

New York Citys most important innovations under

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, including the high-pro-

file Applied Sciences NYC Competition, which re-

sulted in plans or a new multi-billion dollar research

campus on Roosevelt Island, and the Center or Eco-

nomic Opportunity, which has leveraged alternative

unding streams to launch over 50 anti-poverty pro-

grams.

As with our first publication, since so many ofthese innovations dey traditional categories and ap-

peal to such a diverse set of needs, they are not listed

in any particular order.

We hope you find them useul.

IntroductIon


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Cities run on systems or everything rom transit to trashcollectionyet there is no comparable, reliable system orgenerating and implementing smart policy solutions. Inthe summer of 2011, Bloomberg Philanthropies bet $24million on the theory that such an innovation inrastruc-ture could indeed be built within city hall. Five citiesAt-lanta, Chicago, Louisville, Memphis and New Orleansreceived grants to hire a team that reports directly to themayor and uses a set of tools and techniques or generat-ing innovative solutions and producing results. Workingin close collaboration with agency heads and other seniorstaf members, these teams ocus aggressivelyand with

ew distractionson two of their cities critical challenges,ranging rom small business development to homicide re-duction.

BeneFItS Each team developed major reorm plans in months

rather than years Planning and implementation was rooted in sophisti-

cated data analysis and tracking Cities took the time to learn rom other regions to

repurpose the best of what is working elsewhere andbring it back home

InnovatIon delIvery teaMSAtlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA

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The Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, an in-dependent nonprofit, created a hotspotting program tolocate areas of the city with high rates of chronically illresidents. Residents who are so-called super-utilizersof medical care receive more comprehensive and pre-ventative assistance to undercut their reliance on costlyemergency room visits. Health coaches check in regularly

and work with patients to make sure they are taking theirmedications and ollowing the doctors orders. In North-gate II, a residential building with a large number of low-income seniors, the nonprofit even opened an onsite clin-

ic. Beore hotspotting was introduced, it was ound that13 percent of Camdens ER patients consumed 80 percentof the costs.

BeneFItS By providing extra services upront to a relatively

small group of super-utilizers, the program cuts

down on the much higher costs of emergency roomtreatments

Patients receive more health care at much lower coststo the state and ederal governments

HealtH StatS PrograMCamden, NJ

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In order to open up parking spots and reduce circling and

double parking, San Francisco implemented an advancedparking management system that uses demand responsivepricing and mobile phone apps with real-time inormationabout available spots. Prices vary by area and time of day,and sensors embedded in the pavement alert Departmentof Transportation computers whenever a spot becomesree. Demand responsive pricing introduces an incentiveor drivers to leave or abstain rom parking when the de-mand or parking is greatest, while the mobile phone appdirects drivers to available parking spots and allows themto refill meters remotely.

BeneFItS

By raising rates when the demand or parking isgreatest and directing drivers to available spots, theparking management system cuts down on the noise,pollution and rustration that comes with trafic con-gestion

A mobile phone app allows drivers to find availablespots more quickly and refill meters remotely, whileopen data and source code may lead to uture conve-niences and research insights

3 ParkIng SenSor PrograMSan Francisco, CA


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Seattles sector panels are composed of city and stateworkorce development oficials, educators and businessleaders and involve a series of meetings in which partici-pants identiy needed, industry specific skill-sets and thendesign educational programs to address those needs. Theprogram has resulted in greatly expanded training capac-ity or the citys growing health care, green jobs, mari-time and interactive media sectors. The health care panel,chaired by the president of a prominent hospital, led to a370 slot increase in training programs and career-coun-seling sessions or more than 3,000 current health careproessionals. The green jobs panel, meanwhile, used anextensive survey to help define the sustainability indus-try and locate skills gaps; based on the panels research,

an advanced training program or building managers wascreated. By engaging industry in the creation of new train-

ing programs, Seattles workorce development agency isnot only able to create more eective courses in areas ofthe economy where they are needed most; they are ableto orge meaningul relationships with local employers,

boosting job placements ater graduation.

BeneFItS These targeted and goal-oriented panels help Seattle

increase the eectiveness of its workorce develop-ment eorts by training people or jobs with careerpotential

By engaging employers in the design of new work-orce development programs, program credentials aremore likely to be recognized by the industries they ad-dress, leading to higher job placement rates or gradu-ates

4 Sector PanelSSeattle, WA

Foreign-born and low income parents serve as teachingassistants in elementary school classrooms. They receiveworkorce experience and language training, in addi-

tion to a modest stipend. Parent Mentors also serve asambassadors to the community, organizing aterschoolCommunity Learning Centers that oer adult education,tutoring, and childcare. By involving parents in their chil-drens education and providing additional services likeEnglish training, not only is student achievement boost-

ed; amilies are given the tools they need to thrive in their

adopted communities.

BeneFItS Parents become more amiliar with their childrens

curriculum and school Foreign-born parents build local social networks and

receive workorce and language training Schools are better integrated into the community, o-

ering a diversity of services to parents and students

Parent Mentor PrograMChicago, IL

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Property assessments are divided into two parts: the valueof the land and the value of the buildings (or improve-ments) on the land. While most jurisdictions apply thesame tax rate to each entity, under split-rate taxation, landis taxed at a significantly higher rate than improvements.In Harrisburg, and twenty other Pennsylvania cities, thisapproach has incentivized denser development and dis-couraged landowners rom sitting on undeveloped prop-erties.

BeneFItS A lower rate or improvements removes the disincen-

tive to maintain and develop a property A higher tax rate on land discourages real estate spec-

ulation. Developers cannot sit on undeveloped or un-derdeveloped land without suering steep costs

6 SPlIt-rate ProPerty taxHarrisburg, PA


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With the mass closing of asylums in avor of outpatienttreatment, responsibility or the mentally ill has largelyallen on the criminal-justice system. Pioneered in Mem-phis and adopted in major cities like Los Angeles, Hous-ton and Chicago, the Crisis Intervention Program ad-dresses the unique challenges of policing this population.Crisis intervention teams are responsible or interactionswith the mentally ill at each stage of the policing process.Dispatchers are taught how to recognize calls rom the

mentally ill and deploy only those oficers who are trainedto recognize symptoms and properly de-escalate.

BeneFItS In the three years beore CIT was instituted in Mem-

phis, mental-health-related calls led to injuries 35times out of 100,000. In the three years ater CITwas introduced, the rate dropped to seven injuries in100,000 calls

crISIS InterventIon PrograMMemphis, TN

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Social Impact Bonds are used to address some of the riski-est and most intractable issues acing government such aslowering crime rates and curbing chronic homelessness.These are complex challenges that oten require bold ap-proaches. Social Impact Bondsalso reerred to as pay-or-success financingund promising, outcome-basedapproaches in a way that shares risk and is not reliant onup-ront tax dollars. Typically, private investments undthe eorts of a nonprofit contractor and government paysthe contractor only if they meet or exceed predetermined

goals and milestones (e.g. lower homeless rates by 15 per-cent in two years).Although Social Impact Bonds have been tested in

London, New York was the first U.S. city to launch aproject. In 2012, as part of the Young Mens Initiative, theBloomberg administration coordinated an arrangementin which the nonprofit MDRC will receive a nearly $10million loan rom Goldman Sachs to finance a programto reduce the re-incarceration of young people on Rik-

ers Island. If the eort reduces recidivism by 10 percent,Goldman breaks even and the loan would be repaid by thecity government. If the recidivism rate drops even ur-ther, Goldman could make as much as $2.1 million. How-ever, if MDRC ails to decrease recidivism by at least 10percent, Goldman would lose up to $2.4 million and NewYork City would pay nothing. The loan is partially guar-anteed by a grant rom Bloomberg Philanthropies, and ifthe program is successul, the Bloomberg Philanthropiesgrant will acilitate uture social impact investments in

New York City.

BeneFItS Social Impact Bonds tap private resources to tackle

costly social issues Government gets greater accountability or results,

shares the risk and benefits rom more cost-eectiveapproaches

SocIal IMPact BondSNew York City, NY

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Relations between the police and court system are otenstrained. Oficers take pride in their arrests and are rus-trated when cases are dismissed on legal technicalities.To alleviate this riction, a prosecutor rom the City at-torneys ofice was co-located at each precinct in the city.Attorneys advise oficers on the legality of evidence anddemonstrate proper ticketing and reporting, thus improv-ing the prosecution of cases.

BeneFItS A lower percentage of cases have been dismissed in

court since the program was introduced Relations between the City Attorneys ofice and the

police have dramatically improved

9 coMMunIty attorney PrograMMinneapolis, MN


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The City of Los Angeles has pursued a somewhat distinctapproach in gang reduction by ocusing on youths beoreand ater they are in gangs, and by providing a ull spec-trum of programming to support at risk youths. A partner-ship between the city and local nonprofits, the initiative iscalled the Gang Reduction and Youth Development Pro-gram. It targets neighborhoods with high crime and gangactivities and blankets them with ater-school initiativessuch as the Summer Night Lights program, which openspublic parks ater dark or special activities and events.Various nonprofit groups supply current and ormer gangmembers with counseling and vocational training. Initialdata tracking has shown promising results. Participating

neighborhoods experienced a 55 percent drop in shotsfired, a 57 percent drop in gang related homicide, and a45 percent decrease in gunshot victims. This program saw710,000 participants and 382,000 meals served, while cre-ating 1,000 jobs and eight new parks.

BeneFItS Unlike most gang prevention eorts, the Gang Re-

duction and Youth Development Program addressesmultiple actors and populations simultaneously

Root causes of crime are addressed beore they have achance to take hold.

0 gang reductIon & youtH develoPMent PrograLos Angeles, CA

Many highly educated and highly skilled immigrants ailto find jobs in their adopted countries that make use oftheir qualifications, to the detriment of both immigrantamilies and the regional economy. In order to overcomethis problem, the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employ-ment Council (TRIEC), a group of local employers, com-

munity based organizations and government oficials,introduced a program to create three to six month paidinternships or highly skilled immigrants, while introduc-ing them to mentors and networking opportunities. In2011, Torontos national government created a program

that provides these immigrants with bridge loans so theycan acquire the certifications and licenses they need to get

jobs or to practice proessionally in their field of expertise.

BeneFItS High-skilled immigrants are introduced to proes-

sional opportunities in their adopted country Bridge loans allow qualiying immigrants to acquire

the certifications and licenses they need to practice intheir field

toronto regIonal IMMIgrant eMPloyMent counToronto, Ontario

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Building on the CompStat model, Results Minneapolisis a strategic management process in which data is usedto rame accountability sessions with the mayor and citycouncil. But rather than always ocusing on just one agen-cys progress, the City also identifies cross-agency pri-orities and brings all relevant actors (city employees andpartners) together to aggressively pursue new approach-es, and continually revise them based on perormancetracking. And unlike traditional CompStat sessions themeetings are not punitive, avoring a more collaborativeproblem and solution approach to advancing policy.

BeneFItS With data and a consistent ormat, the mayor and citycouncil have a clear sense of progress

Reorms and priorities never all of the table as regu-lar check-ins are built into the calendar

Cross-agency silos ade away as all relevant municipalactors are present to collaborate in real-time with themayor and other key city oficials

reSultS MInneaPolISMinneapolis, MN

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Because so many cities are being crushed by pension costsand ederal budget cuts, finding billions of dollars to payor even critical inrastructure is increasingly ar-etched.But an innovative new vehicle called an InrastructureTrust is actually allowing cities to raise large capital in-vestments locally. The trust allows government to raise

private unding and investment or inrastructure proj-ects that have revenue generating or cost saving opportu-nities that can be used to pay back investors. The model isstill a relatively new idea, and the Chicago InrastructureTrust is the one being watched most closely because of itsscale. The trust was able to raise initial unding of $1.7 bil-lion that includes investments rom Citi and JP MorganChase to und building retrofits. The energy savings thatwill come rom these retrofits will be used as a guaran-

teed source of revenue or the investors. Other cities arelooking to use an inrastructure trust to und electricitygrid upgrades, broadband expansions, and bridge main-tenance.

BeneFItS Municipalities acing budget challenges and dimin-

ished ederal assistance can create a local/regionalinrastructure trust to raise capital unds without theneed or traditional government revenue (such as taxincreases or bonds) or service cuts

The trust has the ability to capture economic sav-ings and growth created by inrastructure investmentover a long period of time

InFraStructure truStChicago, IL

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Green Factor is a flexible, goal-oriented zoning code,mandating a minimum threshold of permeable suracearea or all new development. Buildings must achieve aminimum score, or Green Factor, according to a scorecardthat awards points or larger plants, permeable pavementand green roos. Explicit and pre-determined perormance

goals provide landscape architects with the flexibility andautonomy to achieve the Green Factor threshold.

BeneFItS Green elements in the landscape improve air quality,

mitigate urban heat island eects, reduce storm-waterruno, and are visually appealing

15 green FactorSeattle, WA; Washington, DC

A package of legislation enacted in 2009 requires all NewYork City buildings with 50,000 square eet or more tobenchmark energy and water consumption every year andsubmit to a comprehensive energy audit every ten years.The citys building code was also upgraded or these prop-erties, with special stipulations requiring energy eficientlighting in all public areas and sub-meters or commercialtenants. Moreover, a revolving loan und was created togive building owners access to low-interest loans or thebuilding upgrades recommended in their audit. In NewYork, targeting large buildings or extra energy eficiencymeasures makes sense because the owners tend to havemore financial and technical resources; and although only15,000 properties have 50,000 square eet or more, they

make up half of the citys total square ootage and 45 per-cent of its energy consumption.

BeneFItS The citys largest buildings have to meet more strin-

gent building code requirements that reduce energyconsumption and install submeters to give tenants anincentive to reduce their own energy use

Annual benchmarking and mandatory energy auditsprovide the citys largest landlords with the tools andinormation they need to cut down on energy use,while a revolving loan und makes capital available atreasonable rates

13 greener greater BuIldIngSNew York City, NY


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Most social service systems and programs tackling chronic

homelessness are ragmented. Too oten, unds distrib-uted to organizations serving the homeless are ocusedon immediate needs rather than long-term goals such assel-suficiency. In addition, programs serving the home-less oten lack a direct personal connection to the amilyin need. In 2005, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper ad-dressed all of these issues with the creation of the Familyand Senior Homeless Initiative (FSHI). Run through thenonprofit Denver Rescue Mission, the program calls onreligious congregations and caring neighbors to providesupport or homeless amilies. Notably, the program isnot just about addressing the immediate need or shelter.Sponsors orm small mentoring groups and meet witheach amily to discuss financial management and goal-set-

ting. FSHI also helps with ood, clothing, urniture, and

household items once a client is approved or assistance.But it is the one-on-one counseling and supportcitizenshelping citizensthat makes the initiative a success. As of2012, FSHI has placed 1,080 homeless individuals in per-manent housing.

BeneFItS Residents, religious organizations and other citizen

groups who want to help are successully integratedinto citywide homeless programs

By creating meaningul interpersonal connections

and integrating homeless individuals in a larger com-munity, homeless people are more likely to becomesel-suficient

16FaMIly and SenIor HoMeleSSInItIatIveDenver, CO

The Minneapolis Police Department established a sub-unit comprised of oficers, domestic abuse advocates anda city prosecutor. The Family Violence Unit ensures thatmisdemeanor domestic violence cases do not escalate intomore serious oenses. In the period between the oenseand the trial date, police and advocates regularly visit thealleged victim, providing updates on the status of theircase. To complement these eorts, a specialized domesticviolence court issues Domestic Abuse No Contact Orders

prohibiting deendants rom contacting the victim beoretrial.

BeneFItS A coordinated and ocused eort to protect and em-

power the victims of domestic violence Since the establishment of the FVU, victims have

been less likely to drop charges prior to trial

FaMIly vIolence unItMinneapolis, MN

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Riverside is leveraging its Electronic Waste CollectionFacility to reduce the digital divide. The SmartRiver-side acility collects re-usable waste and converts itinto hands-on education tools, while using sales romnon-salvageable material to finance their programming.Disadvantaged youth are taught how to reurbish com-puters and all low- income residents receive eight hoursof instruction and a reurbished computer with sotwareand a modem. So ar the program has served over 5,000households in Riverside.

BeneFItS Provides workorce skills or disaected youth With sales of non-salvageable E-Waste, the program

is sel-financing

SMartrIverSIdeRiverside, CA

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Housed in New Yorks Ofice of the Mayor, the Center or

Economic Opportunity (CEO) has hatched over 50 dier-ent anti-poverty programs and initiatives since it was cre-ated in 2006, including initiatives that help low-incomeresidents open savings accounts, advance in their jobs,find jobs ater imprisonment, and graduate rom com-munity college while working or raising a amily. Theofice coordinates the eorts of dozens of city agenciesand creates goal oriented programs whose eectivenessis rigorously tested through randomized trials. By raisingunds outside of the usual city budget process, CEO can

implement pilot programs rapidly, and because program

eectiveness is rigorously tested scaling successul pilots

through the regular order has proved to be relatively easy.

BeneFItS Pilot programs are designed and implemented quick-

ly using outside unding sources The eorts of multiple city agencies are coordinated

through goal oriented programs whose eectivenesscan be readily tested and measured

tHe center For econoMIcoPPortunIty (ceo)New York City, NY

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A distributed generation system where electric powerrom the grid is supplemented or replaced by on-site,private generation. Systems are configured so that localgeneration can operate independently of the grid dur-ing blackouts. Although a number of cities have acili-tated the construction of microgrids, including New YorkCity, which helped NYU build a highly advanced cogen-eration plant and grid in Washington Square Park, citieslike Hookerk and Sendai have made microgrids a majormunicipal priority. Both cities have helped broker dealsbetween microgrid operators and utility companies, lob-

bied state regulators or more permissive microgrid laws,revised building codes to acilitate their propagation, pro-vided technical assistance to promote their construction,and assisted with financing.

BeneFItS

Provides redundancy, improving a neighborhoodsresiliency in case of outages

Opportunities or renewable on-site generation, in-cluding solar photovoltaic panels and uel cells

MIcrogrIdSHookerk, Netherlands; Sendai, Japan

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Public transportation investment increases private land

values in surrounding neighborhoods. Governments canrecoup a share of this real estate boom via value captureinstruments like the Community Inrastructure Levy.In London, the levy helped finance major inrastructureimprovements, including the citys ambitious Crossrail,a major new commuter rail line connecting the suburbsto central London. In financing that project, surroundingneighborhoods were assigned to one of three categories,depending on their proximity to the new line. In areas thatare closest to the new rail line, new development is taxed

at 50 per square meter. In the next two zones, the levy

alls to 35 per square meter and 20 per square meter.

BeneFItS A targeted and lucrative revenue stream or building

critical inrastructure Developers who profit rom public inrastructure in-

vestment help finance it

21 coMMunIty InFraStructure levyLondon, United Kingdom


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Pedestrian plazas are areas that prohibit automobile tra-fic and allow or more walking, green space, public seat-ing and biking. In congested and dense cities, these plazasare a way of reclaiming the streets and vastly improvingthe citys quality of lie or very little public expenditure.New York Citys pedestrian plazas are dotted throughoutthe city, including one at Times Square that converted agridlocked street into a successul meeting place or pe-destrians and shoppers. Remarkably, vehicular trafic hasimproved, while commercial rents have doubled. Another

eort in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New Yorkhas seen a drastic crime reduction due to a new pedestrianplaza near the subway.

BeneFItS Pedestrian plazas in congested areas increase public

space even while reducing car trafic Plazas also promote saety and improve business con-

ditions

23 tHe PedeStrIan Plaza PrograMNew York City, NY

The Teacher Homebuyer Program attempts to lure topquality public school teachers by oering them a de-erred payment option or home loans. Started in 1999,the San Jose program oers no interest loans ranging upto $40,000 to ull-time K-12 public school teachers. Theloan is due on resale of the property or ater 30 years. SanJose taps into local redevelopment tax revenues and statehousing programs in order to oer the incentive. Since it

was ounded, the program has unded nearly $15 millionin loans to about 400 teachers.

BeneFItS Attracts high-demand civil servants with 0 percent

interest loans, an enormous advantage in a tight hous-ing market like San Jose

24 teacHer HoMeBuyer PrograMSan Jose, CA

With increasing corporate dispersion and flight, univer-sities have become the core driver of economic growthand real estate development in many cities. But such an-chor institutions typically call the shots around expansionand academic ocus. Mayor Michael Bloomberg turnedthe equation around with the Applied Sciences NYC com-petition in 2010. The City determined that it needed tovastly increase its stature and training in the area of engi-neering and oered $100 million and a piece of prime realestate to someone willing to create a world class graduateengineering school rom scratch. The competition set ofglobal interest as 27 schools applied. In the end, CornellUniversity and Technion-Israel Institute of Technologywon and will invest billions of their own unds and devel-

op a 2 million square oot campus that will educate 2,500students. The entire process has been guided and tracked

by the citys economic development agency. Civic compo-nents include a plan to work with 200 public schools anda $150 million und or local start-ups. Meanwhile, theentire eort has had a ripple eect. New York Universitywon a second award to develop the Center or Urban Sci-ence and Progress to provide big data analysis or the cityand support related business ventures. And ColumbiaUniversity is dedicating nearly $100 million to raise thenational profile of its engineering school by increasing

aculty and student enrollment.

BeneFItS When a locality determines its own strengths and as-

sets, it can enact a proactive plan or anchor institu-tionseven when they arent currently located insidethe city limits

aPPlIed ScIenceS nyc coMPetItIonNew York City, NY

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Participatory budgeting puts real meaning into thephrase citizen democracy by getting residents togetherwith their local politicians to decide where public undsshould be spent. Here is how it works: local governmentearmarks a set allocation or certain neighborhoods andallows community members to directly choose what proj-ects are unded. For many years, cities across the worldhave adopted participatory budgeting; several countriessuch as Peru, the United Kingdom and the DominicanRepublic have gone so ar as to require participatory bud-geting in local governments. The U.S. has just recentlybegun to embrace this trend, but initial experiments areworking well. In 2012, several New York City Council-

members launched a participatory budgeting process withmore than 8,000 New Yorkers contributing; they chose tound a new elementary school bathroom in Park Slope,a lighting system or an athletic field in Flatbush, and alibrary book vending machine in the Rockaways.

BeneFItS Participatory budgeting allows or the practice of

direct democracy and curbs potential corruption orcronyism in the disbursement of discretionary undsor member items

It promotes public inclusivity, awareness and excite-ment around local projects

PartIcIPatory BudgetIngNew York City, NY; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; Vallejo, CA; Toronto, Ontario

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InnovatIon and tHe cItyPart I

This index is a ollow up to the June 2013 report, Innovation and the City, which spotlighted 15 innovative poli-cies rom cities across the U.S. and around the globe that could serve as a model or New Yorks next mayor.Below are the ideas cataloged in the first report.

Idea 1: Updating 311 | Boston & ChicagoIdea 2: Kindergarten to College Savings | San FranciscoIdea 3: Innovation Loan Fund | ChicagoIdea 4: Peak Academy | DenverIdea 5: Project Oracle | LondonIdea 6: Spacehive | LondonIdea 7: Zero Waste | San FranciscoIdea 8: Digital Badging | Philadelphia, Providence & CHicagoIdea 9: Budget Savings Commission | ChicagoIdea 10: Open Data | Seattle & San FranciscoIdea 11: City ID Prepaid MasterCard | Oakland

Idea 12: Accessory Dwelling Units & Basement Conversions | Seattle & Santa CruzIdea 13: Prize-linked Savings | MichiganIdea 14: Immigrant Export Initiative | Los Angeles & ChicagoIdea 15: Commuter Tax Benefit | San Francisco

The report is available at:http://nycuture.org/research/publications/innovation-and-the-cityhttp://wagner.nyu.edu/labs/mayoral


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innovation and the city part ii

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