Initiative on Cities

America’s Mayors Say They Feel Accountable But Unequipped to Address Homeless Crisis, Citing Lack of Funding and Public Opposition to New Housing as Biggest Barriers

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Construction & Property, Banking, Professional Services, Public Policy, Government, Philanthropy, State, Local, Public Policy, Other Philanthropy, Other Policy Issues, Residential Building & Real Estate, Zero, WI, Initiative on Cities, Republican, Research, Technology, Police, Democrat, Menino, ARPA, Outline, Citigroup, Science, Population, Public housing, Political science, Boston University, ASU College of Public Service & Community Solutions, Rockefeller Foundation, Government, Mental health, Â, Care Continuum Alliance, Movement, Health, Housing, Gulf Coast of the United States, Education, Associate, Employment, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Initiative, Risk, Twitter, Gamer, New York City Council Black, Latino and Asian (BLA) Caucus, Homelessness, Policy, Investment, Drug, Renewable energy, Grocery store, Veterinary medicine, Mayor, City

In fact, aside from a general lack of funding, mayors cite lack of data, limited staffing, and public opposition to new housing and shelters as the biggest hindrances to their ability to address homelessness issues in their cities.

Key Points: 
  • In fact, aside from a general lack of funding, mayors cite lack of data, limited staffing, and public opposition to new housing and shelters as the biggest hindrances to their ability to address homelessness issues in their cities.
  • Mayors believe that their constituents care deeply about how they address homelessness.
  • A minority of mayors define policy success in terms of reducing homelessness, and a surprising number of mayors (10 percent) do not have clear definitions for success.
  • When asked an open-ended question on how they define success in addressing homelessness, only 40 percent of mayors explicitly outline a policy goal of reducing homelessness.

Among Long-Term Impacts of Pandemic, America’s Mayors Are Most Concerned with Residents’ Mental Health and Learning Loss, According to Survey of US Mayors

Retrieved on: 
Monday, November 22, 2021
Mental Health, Finance, Banking, Public Policy, Government, Professional Services, Philanthropy, Health, State, Local, Foundation, Homelessness, Senior, Political science, Menino, Mental health, Workforce, Technology, Housing, Face, Data collection, Summer learning loss, Violence, Crime, Rockefeller Foundation, Budget, ARPA, COVID-19, Boston University, Initiative on Cities, Rockefeller, Democrat, Gaps, Policy, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Twitter, Research, Investment, Communication, BIPOC, Trauma, Associate, Initiative, Science, Small business, Ladd's Addition, Citigroup, Drug, Renewable energy, Veterinary medicine

Instead, mayors say they are far more concerned with the pandemics long-term effects on their residents mental health and learning loss among young people.

Key Points: 
  • Instead, mayors say they are far more concerned with the pandemics long-term effects on their residents mental health and learning loss among young people.
  • These are some of the findings related to COVID-19 recovery from the Menino Survey of Mayors, the only nationally representative survey of Americas mayors conducted annually by Boston Universitys Initiative on Cities.
  • More than half of mayors (52%) believe mental health challenges and trauma is a top long-term consequence of the pandemic.
  • Learning loss among young people ranked second (37%), closely followed by a third of mayors expressing concern for the financial insecurity of low-income residents.

Urban October at University of Chicago to Focus on Urgent Challenges Facing Global Cities

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 27, 2019
Hyde Park, Chicago, University of Chicago, V-12 Navy College Training Program, Columbia University, Organizations, Urban China Initiative, Initiative on Cities

The month-long initiative brings together policy leaders, public officials, community members, and leading researchers from Chicago and around the world to focus on some of the most profound challenges facing global cities.

Key Points: 
  • The month-long initiative brings together policy leaders, public officials, community members, and leading researchers from Chicago and around the world to focus on some of the most profound challenges facing global cities.
  • Urban October at UChicago is an initiative of the University of Chicago Urban Network research institutes, policy labs, centers, and academic units at the university focused on pioneering urban science and practice.
  • Week by week, university scholars will convene key stakeholders and present new research and collaborations that will confront global urban challenges and identify emerging opportunities.
  • ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO URBAN NETWORK:
    The University of Chicago Urban Network brings together research institutes, policy labs, centers, and academic units from across the university that are working in urban science, practice, and civic engagement.

New Menino Survey of Mayors, from Boston University Initiative on Cities, Reveals Housing Costs and Lack of Living Wage Jobs as Top Obstacles to Social Mobility

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Education, University, Public policy, Government, Congressional News, Views, Professional services, Banking, Social inequality, Social mobility, Initiative on Cities, Social status

In fact, more Republicans nearly two in ten believe there are no barriers to social mobility in their cities.

Key Points: 
  • In fact, more Republicans nearly two in ten believe there are no barriers to social mobility in their cities.
  • These are among the key findings of this years survey, which was released today by the Boston University Initiative on Cities.
  • 43% of mayors of high-cost cities believe housing costs are the greatest obstacle to social mobility in their community.
  • The latter group chose housing costs (27%), something else (27%), and there are no obstacles to social mobility (19%), before they chose insufficient living-wage jobs.