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| Public Safety |
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San Francisco has begun a campaign to “quake-shame” property owners into strengthening their buildings to withstand California’s earthquakes. The city is placing large, multilingual signs on hundreds of apartment buildings that feature a drawing of a destroyed building and warn that "This building is in violation of the requirements of the San Francisco building code regarding earthquake safety." To assist qualified owners in retrofitting their properties, the city will connect them with banks offering low-interest loans. Nearby, Los Angeles is studying whether to implement a public letter-grading system regarding the seismic safety of buildings.
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| Criminal Justice |
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Following the lead of prosecutors in New York City and Dallas, the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, has set up the first federal unit in the nation to identify and investigate cases that ended in wrongful convictions. The Conviction Integrity Unit will review cases in which defendants convicted of violent felonies can offer new evidence, such as DNA testing, that may establish innocence. The unit was created after recent high profile convictions were vacated when federal prosecutors reviewed the evidence. The unit will coordinate with defense lawyers and the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.
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| Housing |
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With city, state, federal, and private funds, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has opened a comprehensive homeless care facility in Denver. The facility provides mental and physical health care, substance-abuse treatment services, dental and vision care, a pharmacy, social services, and housing for 78 homeless households under one roof. Believed to be the first such facility in the country, the Stout Street Health Center ensures that many services can be provided to this population during each visit, with seamless referrals and medical information sharing. Operations will be partially funded by federal reimbursements under the Affordable Care Act, and the center is expected to allow the coalition to increase the number of people it serves by 50 percent.
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| Health & Social Services |
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The South Metro Fire Rescue Authority outside of Denver has created a mobile care unit to respond to emergency calls from patients that do not necessarily require hospital care. The unit, essentially a crossover SUV that makes house calls, uses a nurse practitioner to provide on-site treatment, a mobile laboratory to do blood counts or basic testing for infections, and connects to the medical records network. South Metro can provide care at a patient's home for about $500, which is significantly less than the cost of an ambulance ride to the hospital.
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| Preschool Education |
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This school year, New York City has embarked upon its ambitious initiative of providing citywide, full-day universal prekindergarten. Over 50,000 children are registered for classes at various sites, including at public schools, religious schools, community-based groups, and private providers. Observers note that preschool education helps children become more ready for school and less likely to drop out. Dependable child care can also increase parent productivity because adults are less likely to have to miss work and can use the income saved for other household necessities.
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| Economic & Community Development |
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The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has unveiled its first-ever Knight Cities Challenge, designed to encourage groundbreaking initiatives in 26 communities across the US that attract and retain promising talent, create economic opportunity, and foster civic engagement. The grant opportunity is open to individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and government entities. Applicants have until November 14 for a chance to share in the $5 million prize money.
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| Austin Targets Youth Obesity With Neighborhood-Level Data |
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Children’s Optimal Health (COH) is a Texas-based nonprofit committed to improving all aspects of health for the city of Austin’s youth. Not only does COH integrate diverse sets of siloed data, its coalition-based model is changing the way that the data is being talked about altogether. More»
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| Turning the RFP Upside Down |
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FastFWD, a Philadelphia program, recognizes that government doesn't have all the answers and invites collaboration from entrepreneurs to solve urban problems. More»
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| Protecting Taxpayers When a Privatization Partner Goes Bust |
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Private-sector participation is becoming increasingly significant as governments become unwilling or unable to shoulder the full brunt of transportation infrastructure costs. Thanks to the way the deal to operate the Indiana Toll Road was structured, the state treasury and the road's users don't have anything to worry about. More»
Newsletter produced by: Jessica Engelman, editor; Brendan St. Amant, researcher and writer.
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About the Ash Center
The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.
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