http://www.innovations.harvard.edu This section spotlights innovations taking place in public infrastructure, which is comprised of topics including community networks and services, energy supply and distribution, highways, public transit, sanitation, traffic control, and water supply and distribution. en-us Copyright 2009, Government Innovators Network Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:53:00 -0500 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:53:00 -0500 info@innovations.harvard.edu http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=3247 This article discusses mortgage lending programs aimed at lower-income buyers looking to purchase homes in compact, transit-accessible neighborhoods. Unlike traditional lending formulas, transit supportive home loan calculations consider transportation cost savings from living in transit-friendly neighborhoods and apply these savings to allow borrowers to qualify for a larger mortgage.   ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=3402 This article examines the link between highways and urban development by employing both hedonic analysis and multiple sales techniques to study the impact of the construction of toll roads in Orange County, CA, on house prices. Urban economic theory predicts that if highways improve accessibility, that accessibility premium will be reflected in higher land prices. The authors' empirical analyses ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=4969 Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development underscores the critical importance of knowledge and innovation for development in every country. Responding to challenges in areas such as economic productivity, agriculture, education, gender inequity, health, water, sanitation, environment, and participation in the global economy will require increased use of scientific and technical knowledge. Technological ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=7584 Lumajang District is one district where the government's Water and Sanitation for Low Income Communities (WSLIC-2) project has been implemented. The project began in 2001, and now covers 23 communities. WSLIC-2 is an initiative that helps poor communities gain access to a safe water supplies and high-quality sanitation services, thereby reducing the incidence of water-borne diseases. Community ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=9189 This paper was prepared for the Program on Education Policy and Governance conference: Mobilizing the Private Sector for Public Education. The conference, held on October 5 and 6, 2005 at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, was co-sponsored by the World Bank. To access all of the papers presented at the conference, click here.    Abstract   Education sectors ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=102101 The Frontiers of Innovation conference was held at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), March 31–April 2, 2008, and hosted participants from more than 50 countries. The conference highlighted how governments can be more effective at solving problems and improving the lives of their citizens through innovation. The conference—designed by HKS faculty for senior managers, elected officials ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=5050 This paper explores the use of public schools as tools for community and economic development. As major place-based infrastructure and an integral part of the community fabric, public schools can have a profound impact on the social, economic, and physical character of a neighborhood. Addressing public schools, therefore, is a good point of entry for community-based developers to place their work ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=98251 Harvard Vietnam Program Director Tom Vallely discusses Vietnam's prospectswith Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DungChoosing Success: The Lessons of East and Southeast Asia and Vietnam’s FutureA Policy Framework for Vietnam’s Socioeconomic Development, 2011–2020"For Vietnam, success is a choice." This sums up the verdict delivered by the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Vietnam ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=2984 A strong business sector can promote growth, attract new investments, reduce crime, and enhance the physical structure and value of residential and commercial buildings. As the housing community becomes increasingly aware of the role that commerce can play in combating distress in our inner cities, more and more practitioners are looking for ways to bring life to decaying commercial centers. ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=553487 Governments around the world can address many of society's biggest challenges such as the current economic crisis by becoming better at innovating. "The public innovator's playbook" report, published by Deloitte Research in the U.S. with Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, describes how governments have the opportunity to help improve ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=3139 This is the third in a series of publications designed to address myths regarding growth and land development. It identifies key challenges associated with the development of urban infill housing as well as strategies and recommendations to overcome those challenges. http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=3401 Based on the review of nine organizations that offer post-purchase programs and interviews with national experts, post-purchase programs can be divided into two major types: (1) programs for preventing foreclosures and (2) programs for sustaining homeownership. Foreclosure intervention programs offer assistance for troubled borrowers facing foreclosure; whereas sustainable homeownership programs ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=9291 This paper was prepared for the Program on Education Policy and Governance conference: Mobilizing the Private Sector for Public Education. The conference, held on October 5 and 6, 2005 at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, was co-sponsored by the World Bank. To access all of the papers presented at the conference, click here.    Abstract: This paper reviews the evidence ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=8086 This document provides information about administrative reform in Greece and is part of a series published by the Centre for Administrative Innovation in the Euro-Mediterranean Region.  At the threshold of the 21st century, the rapid evolution of information and communications technologies, their wide diffusion in the entire economy and their integration in nearly all aspects of everyday ... http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/showdoc.html?id=152951 This paper responds to a request from the Vietnamese government for an analysis of the impact of the global economic crisis on Vietnam, and policy recommendations to help the government stimulate growth and reduce the risk of financial crisis. The government has proposed an economic stimulus valued at six billion US dollars, although details of this plan are still being worked out as we prepare ...