Boston University Initiative on Cities

In our latest #BUandBoston story, we spoke with Jonathan Levy, Chair and Professor at BUSPH Department of Environmental Health (Boston University School of Public Health). Dr. Levy's work focuses on health risks associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution in marginalized communities. Earlier this year, the City of Boston called on Dr. Levy to assist in evaluating the City's pilot program's impact on replacing gas stoves with electric or induction stoves. Through his work during the COVID-19 pandemic and replacing gas stoves (both at the center of heated political debates), Dr. Levy highlights the importance of effectively communicating accurate public health information and working with communities in a way that is in tune, practical, and understandable for all. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eSh5ggQc

Such an exciting initiative and collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and organizers - congrats on this win!

On November 21, 2024, the Louisville Metro Government Metro Council unanimously approved a first-of-its-kind Anti-Displacement Assessment Tool (ADA Tool) to prevent residents from being priced out of their neighborhoods. This tool will require residential developers seeking city subsidies to assess their project’s displacement risk. The ADA Tool was developed by a team of researchers: Director Loretta Lees (MAE, FAcSS, FRSA) at the Boston University Initiative on Cities, Kenton Card, PhD (formerly Boston University, now the University of Minnesota), and Andre Comandon (University of Southern California METRANS Transportation Consortium). The project also was a collaboration with the Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Housing and Community Development, and with support from Metro Councilmember Jecorey Arthur and the Louisville Tenants Union. Learn more about the Anti-Displacement Assessment Tool: https://lnkd.in/ezE_K6ns

🥪🏙️ Free lunch is back for the final time this semester for our Urban Inequalities Workshop! This coming Monday, November 25, from 12:00 - 1:30 PM, the Initiative on Cities and Department of Sociology will host the Urban Inequalities Workshop series on "The Flint Water Coup: Debt at the end of Democracy." Come listen and discuss insights about urban governance, politics, and financial management involved in the Flint, MI, water crisis from Dr. Louise Seamster of the University of Iowa. All are welcome! If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to Andrew Ward (amward@bu.edu).

We're branching out! 🌟 You can now find us on Bluesky 🔵 🌤 — join the conversation and stay connected with our updates there. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ecmcsqfG #Bluesky

We're excited to invite Jerusalem Demsas from The Atlantic to discuss her new book, "On the Housing Crisis: Land, Development, Democracy." The discussion will focus on the housing crisis, how local democracies have stymied development, and offer a guide to navigating this generational crisis. Katherine Levine Einstein, Boston University Initiative on Cities Urban-H Associate Director of Housing, will moderate the discussion. When: Monday, December 9, 4 PM – 5:30 PM ET Where: Kenmore Room (Rm 916), 1 Silber Way, Boston, MA 02215 Register today: https://lnkd.in/e3bViWES

For over two decades, The Boston Foundation has published the "Greater Boston Housing Report Card," analyzing data on housing supply, demand and affordability. In addition to a core metrics analysis by Boston Indicators, this year's forum included a special topic from Boston University Initiative on Cities on the opportunity for housing development on public land in Greater Boston. As part of the forum, I was proud to take part in a panel discussion with Senator Lydia Edwards, Kenzie Bok and Soni Gupta. The panel exchanged ideas on what the report's findings and insights suggest for Greater Boston's future and how we can continue to build a Boston of opportunity, prosperity and equity for all. View the recorded event and read the report on The Boston Foundation's website: https://lnkd.in/ePCMNEGB #boston #greaterboston #affordablehousing #equitabledevelopment #housingadvocacy

Congratulations to Councilman Jecorey Arthur on advancing the bipartisan supported, anti-displacement tool in Louisville Metro Government Planning & Zoning Committee yesterday with support from the Louisville Tenants Union. Next Thursday it goes to full city council for a final vote. Thanks to research team Andre Comandon, Loretta Lees (MAE, FAcSS, FRSA), and my institutional units Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota & the Boston University Initiative on Cities.

😍 👏 We're so happy Sean has gotten a spotlight! Our long-serving office assistant is doing amazing work on public service and policy, whether through the Initiative on Cities' operations, work at the City of Boston, the New York state legislature, and now at the Massachusetts State House. He's an inspiration for us at the IOC!

Congrats to Vijay Fisch, our former Office Assistant! We're happy to see you and your project partners using applied data to analyze urban agricultural productivity.