F E A T U R E D  
D I R E C T O R   C O R B U R N   A W A R D E D   R O B E R T   W O O D 
J O H N S O N   F O U N D A T I O N   G R A N T

In December 2016, IURD Director Jason Corburn was awarded an 18-month grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for his project, "Learning from Slum Upgrading for Building Healthy Communities."  This project will learn from innovative participatory urban slum upgrading approaches in Africa, Asia and Latin America in order to build more healthy and equitable communities in low-income, communities of color in the US.  Updates will be available on our website

I U R D   L A U N C H E S   U R B A N   E Q U I T Y   S T U D E N T
F E L L O W S   P R O G R A M

In Fall 2016, IURD launched the Urban Equity Student Fellows program, bringing together 10 outstanding students that are interested in social justice and urban equity issues.  On January 31, 2017, our student fellows were joined by members of our Urban Equity Community Fellows to discuss opportunities for collaboration and internship/job placement.  IURD looks forward to watching the progress of our student fellows, as they engage current equity issues and work to promote equitable outcomes for all.  For updates on the Urban Equity Student Fellows program, please click here.

U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S
IURD-DCRP Speaker Series: Professor Diane E. Davis
Modernist Planning and the Foundations of Urban Violence in Latin America 
Thursday, February 16th, 5:00-7:00 pm
5:00-5:30 pm: Reception, Wurster Hall 1st Floor Lobby
5:30-7:00 pm: Lecture, 112 Wurster Hall

 

Join IURD on February 16th, from 5:00-7:00pm, for Professor Diane E. Davis's presentation on "Modernist Planning and the Foundations of Urban Violence in Latin America."

Talk Description:
During her lecture, Professor Davis will discuss the relations between modernist planning and violence in Latin America.  This lecture will assess past decisions in building Latin American cities and look at the planning action/policy implications of those decisions.  


Professor Davis will also guest speak at the Cities for Life Seminar on Thursday, February 16th, 12-2pm, 305 Wurster Hall.  During her guest talk, she will discuss Medellín in the context of Latin America with Aníbal Gaviria.

IURD Lunch Speaker Series: Dr. Chao Ren
Urban Climatic Application in Asian Cities
Wednesday, February 15th, 12:00-1:00 pm
IURD Conference Room, 316 Wurster Hall

 

Join IURD on Wednesday, February 15th, from 12:00-1:00pm, 316 Wurster Hall, for Dr. Chao Ren's presentation on "Urban Climatic Application in Asian Cities."

Talk Description:

“We only have one earth to live on, one home to go back to, and one common future for mankind”

The study of urban climate has been developed since the nineteenth century due to the anthropogenic climate modification in the cities caused by global industrialization and urbanization process, with the focus to investigate the urban climatic phenomena such as urban heat island, urban energy budget, air pollution dispersion and urban ventilation. The urban climate has great impacts on cities and their populations in terms of thermal comfort, air quality and wind environment.

Although the research studies in the field of urban climatology has been largely expanded in the last two decades, the impact of urban climate knowledge in the urban planning and design practice is still very low. One of the reasons for this is that climate issues are not significant in urban planning decisions and they are incorporated in conjunction with other environmental concerns.

Dr. REN will share her practical experience by introducing several governmental consultancy projects she involved and led in Asian high density cities. The presentation looks at the ways of urban climatic application strategies and also the methodology of urban climatic mapping system and urban ventilation assessment. 

 

SPRING 2017 SEMINAR
Cities for Life, Lessons from Medellín 
Select Wednesdays, 12-2pm

The Cities for Life Seminar, co-faciitated by Aníbal Gaviria and Professor Jason Corburn, kicked off on February 1st. The seminar focuses on the context and history of Medellín's transformation, as well as explores the ways in which Medellín can be an example of equity based urban governance and healthy city planning.  Guest practitioners add to the discussion of Medellin in the context of global urbanization and transformative planning practices.

The remaining seminar sessions are open to the students, as well as the public.  


R E C E N T   N E W S  

I U R D - D C R P   L E C T U R E   S E R I E S   W R A P - U P

The IURD-DCRP Fall 2016 Lecture Series welcomed three innovative leaders who shared their experience and expertise on issues like policing and violence reduction, displacement and health impacts and the concept of a city for life.  We would like to thank the Fall 2016 lecturers:

DeVone Boggan:
DeVone Boggan is the Founder and CEO of Advance Peace.  Advance Peace interrupts gun violence in U.S. urban neighborhoods.  Advance Peace is a comprehensive, community drive, developmental strategy that partners with and is informed by those who have the greatest influence on altering the urban gun violence epidemic.  Advance Peace provides a unique transformational experience to young men involved in lethal firearm offenses by placing them in a high-touch, personalized Fellowship or what DeVone has coined a s a "blow their minds on LIFE Opportunity."  DeVone is the former Neighborhood Safety Director and founding director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) for the City of Richmond California.

During his talk, DeVone discussed his vision for and approach to ensuring healthier and safer urban neighborhoods besieged by epidemic rates of gun violence.  Advance Peace is a start-up social enterprise that works to disrupt cyclical and retaliatory urban gun violence in urban communities by providing those at the center of gun violence hostilities with transformative life opportunities.  DeVone shared the impact of this work in Richmond, California, where he created the Richmond Fellowship Model while serving as Neighborhood Safety Director.

Ron Dellums:
Ron Dellums is a world renowned, social justice leader who has stood for the rights of all peoples to live in peace, dignity, and security, even when those positions were unpopular.  For the past five decades, he has been a dominant political activist representing the Berkeley/Oakland area in Congress, as Oakland's Mayor, and in the Berkeley City Council.  

During his talk, Dellums discussed the intersections of race, displacement and policy and the implications of these intersections on health, opportunity and well-being.

Aníbal Gaviria:
Aníbal Gaviria Correa is the former Mayor of Medellín, Colombia and the former Governor of Antioquia, Colombia.  In 2012 and after participating as a candidate for the Vice Presidency of the Republic by the Liberal Party, he was elected Mayor of Medellín with the aim of making the city an epicenter of work for life and equality, consolidating it as an international referent for its urban and cultural transformation.  During his mandate, Medellín was chosen from 199 other cities as the most innovative city in the world, furthermore, it received international recognitions for its advances in mobility, sustainability and the consolidation of its internationalization process by hosting international events such as the World Urban Forum, the WTO General Assembly, the World Bike Forum.

During his talk, Gaviria discussed the transformation the city of Medellín underwent in the last 20 years, and he shared 10 innovation milestones that have driven the urban transformation of Medellín.  Previously considered one of the most violent cities in the world due to leading global homicide rates, today Medellín is recognized for its vast accomplishments, named the most innovative city by Wall Street Journal and the Urban Land Institute in 2013 and receiving the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize in 2016.  Most importantly, the city has reduced its homicide rate by 95%, strengthening one of the central pillars of a City for Life.  

Thank you to all those who helped make the lecture series a success! 

To watch full talks and see pictures from the events, please click here.  


ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR MALO HUTSON GIVES KEYNOTE AT SAN FRANCISCO URBAN FILM FESTIVAL
In November 2016, Professor Malo Hutson delivered the keynote address at the 3rd annual San Francisco Urban Film Festival.  The San Francisco Urban Film Festival focuses on cities and civic engagement and adopted the theme of "creating just cities" for the 3rd annual festival.  For more on this year's festival, please click here
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS INNOVATIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

The Richmond City Council unanimously approved an ambitious and innovative Climate Action Plan (CAP) to address the impacts of climate change and lower greenhouse gas emissions in Richmond.  The CAP inventories the City's emissions sources, establishes emissions reduction targets, and identifies City and community actions to reduce emissions.  The CAP ensures that the City is prepared for the potential impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, ecosystems, and public spaces.  "Health co-benefits, youth engagement, and our partnerships with Professor Jason Corburn, the UC Berkeley Department of City and Regional Planning and School of Public Health, and the UC Berkeley Center for Cities and Schools' Y-Plan program make the CAP an innovative implementation plan.  The CAP benefited from involving over 250 enthusiastic Richmond youth in the planning process, and integrating the community's commitment to health equity," said City Manager Bill Lindsay.  To read the report, please click here.  

F A C U L T Y   S P O T L I G H T  
D A N I E L  A.  R O D R Í G U E Z

Daniel A. Rodríguez is Chancellor’s Professor of City and Regional Planning. His research focuses on the relationship between transportation, land development, and the health and environmental impacts that follow. His most recent work focuses on the health and equity impacts of urban transportation policy. In a current project he is examining the impact of transportation innovations (bus rapid transit, aerial trams, protected and unprotected bicycle lane networks) on land markets and development.

In another current project, he is examining the dramatic rise in motorcycle use in Latin America. He frames this increase as an unexpected result of urban transportation policy decisions that have failed to limit the appeal of the automobile. At the same time, transit service continues to deteriorate, with fares rising and travel times suffering due to congestion. Motorcycles emerge in this context as a viable option charged with alternative meaning and opportunity, but with enormous personal risks.

Within the Institute for Urban and Regional Development, as a Faculty Affiliate, Rodriguez is currently leading two research projects (totaling $1.1 million) related to urban health inequalities and the built environment in Latin America. In other work he has considered the land value impact of transit investment and the impact of urban form on physical activity and travelling behavior. On a regional scale, he has studied the relationship between regional policies and travel patterns and how plans can be used to strengthen the connection between transportation and land use.

A majority of Professor Rodríguez’s work is driven by practical problems and finding solutions for planners and policy-makers. Working within the health, nutrition, economics, engineering, geography and public policy disciplines, he has examined how changes to the physical attributes of the environment, such as the location of bus routes, rail lines, supermarkets and trails, are related to changes in physical activity; and how land management tools can be used to encourage transit development and recapture property value increases by public action.

Prior to joining Berkeley, Rodriguez served in the faculty of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Communities in the Department of City and Regional Planning. He is a faculty fellow of the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy, and has been a consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank, Andean Development Bank, and the Clean Air Institute.

Professor Rodriguez teaches three classes: 

CP216 Planning for Active Transportation
CP217/CE250 Transportation Policy and Planning
CP 290A, Special Topics: PR/CR/Thesis Workshop

Inquiries from prospective doctoral students are welcome. 

R E S E A R C H   U P D A T E S 
C E N T E R   F O R   C I T I E S   A N D   S C H O O L S
U P D A T E S :
Y - P L A N  P A R T N E R S  W I T H   B A R T   A N D   O U S D ' S
A F R I C A N   A M E R I C A N   M A L E   A C H I E V E M E N T
P R O G R A M

During the fall semester, Y-PLAN students at Kennedy High School in Richmond participated in a new project-based partnership with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). The project provided an opportunity for students to visit BART and provide well-researched solutions for BART’s Human Resources department. This semester, the Center for Cities + Schools is proud to announce its partnership with students from Oakland Unified School District’s African American Male Achievement initiative.  AAMA Y-PLAN students are also partnering with BART, proposing changes at the West Oakland and Coliseum stations to better serve the surrounding communities.

In January, Y-PLAN staff and AAMA students co-presented with CC+S at the Linked Learning Conference in Oakland, CA during the “Youth Voice Transforms Cities” panel. Students shared their experiences with Y-PLAN in the classroom to effect positive change. AAMA students are now getting ready, with the help of UC Berkeley mentors, to begin the Y-PLAN process to research possible solutions surrounding art and housing for BART. 

In December 2016, the Center for Cities + Schools hosted the "Mapping Equity into PK-12 Infrastructure: Quality Public School Facilities for All Children" Summit in Washington DC, in partnership with The 21st Century School Fund, the National Council on School Facilities and the Center for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council.  This Summit was part of the Planning for PK-12 Infrastructure Initiative, which drew on the expertise of multi-sector leaders in public school facilities from across the country. Results will be synthesized into state and federal policy recommendations for promoting adequacy and equity in PK-12 Infrastructure.
The Center for Cities + Schools (CC+S) was launched in IURD in 2004 to harness the potential of urban planning to close the opportunity gap and improve education. CC+S works to create opportunity-rich places where young people can be successful in and out of school. We conduct policy research, engage youth in urban planning, and cultivate collaboration between city and school leaders to strengthen all communities: Our policy research seeks out practical, proven federal, state, and local solutions for creating opportunity-rich places for young people and families. Y-PLAN (Youth – Plan, Learn, Act, Now!) is our award-winning educational strategy that engages youth in urban planning and empowers them to create change in their community. Through our PLUS Leadership Initiative, we provide tools and best practices to help cities and schools create a structure for strong, ongoing joint policymaking. We invite you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter.
 
We invite you to visit our website, follow us on twitter, and like us on facebook to stay in touch, and check out the Terner Blog: No Limits, for a recent piece from our Senior Fellow, Jed Kolko.
A B O U T  U S 

IURD conducts collaborative, interdisciplinary research and practical work that reveals the dynamics of communities, cities, and regions and informs public policy.  IURD focuses on analyzing trends in urbanization, the impacts on populations and places and exploring strategies to make cities and urban areas more equitable and inclusive for all.  In the future, IURD will position itself as a global leader in research and policy that aims to answer how 21st century urbanization and cities can be the sites of innovation and opportunity, sustainability and democracy, health and social justice.

 

To learn more, visit the IURD website!  To contact us directly, email iurd@berkeley.edu or call us at (510) 642-4874.  Help support our work, and make a donation today!




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