Mpact’s Post

Great article, short read, on the importance of #parks being good #neighbors! #raleigh #raleighparks #raleighparksandrecreation #recreation #belonging #empathy #inclusion #powerofparks

Should affordable housing be green? Is that even a question?! Yes. Because in a sector that’s chronically starved of resources, sustainability is often seen as a luxury. BG’s Elizabeth Waters shows how the apparent affordable housing options—build more or build green?—present a false and untenable choice. Elizabeth spoke with many experts who’ve proven we can rise to the occasion and address a severe affordable housing shortage, climate change, *and* endemic injustice by: 📗 Reframing the conventional wisdom that sustainability and affordability are at odds 💚 Leveraging existing systems to improve people’s health, quality of life, and resilience 🧤 Working toward and supporting longer-term systemic change For this Spotlight Report (free to premium BuildingGreen subscribers), Elizabeth interviewed: Habitable's Gina Ciganik, David Baker Architects' Katie Ackerly, 7 Directions Architects/Planners' Daniel Glenn, Enterprise Community Partners' Krista Egger, THE JPB FOUNDATION's Dana Bourland, AICP, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Ethan Handelman, ESG | Architecture & Design's Laura Eder (Foster), MSR Design's Simona Fischer, LS Black Development 's Willy Boulay, International Living Future Institute's Susan Puri, and HomeSight 's Uche Okezie. Also! Featuring research from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the BlueGreen Alliance https://lnkd.in/ecTrDEi7

Just attended the "Planning While Black: Sustaining an Inclusive Urban Renaissance" panel at the American Planning Association conference, and I'm truly inspired! It's a powerful reminder of how crucial equity is in urban planning. As planners, we must keep communities at the heart of every decision. Let's commit to making equity and inclusivity the foundation of our work. #UrbanPlanning #EquityInAction #APAConference

I'm really excited about the books coming out this fall by Sara C. Bronin Michael Eliason Shamichael Hallman Benjamin Bradlow Alex Hannaford Joe William Trotter, Jr. and Nicole Gelinas covering topics like zoning, the importance of libraries, Black cities, pedestrianization, low-carbon design, gentrification, and more. Check them out here: https://lnkd.in/eKsh6Fn6

Check out our very first blog post! This blog dives into the mission of Pines Carver and explores why we started - to envision the Richmond that we want for the future. https://lnkd.in/eHp4_vdx

Being in business is about having vision and willingness to take risks. Partnering and investing in Anderson Barker Architects and collaborating with its visionary founder, Michael Anderson, AIA-NOMA, was more about my stage of life, building a legacy for wealth creation in our community. YES, the investment has been financially viable, but not unlike what I am doing in Philly with Black Squirrel to drive Black wealth creation through Real Estate Development, this West Coast initiative, Accelerated Housing & Transit Development is an even bolder enterprise, that attempts to leverage the Biden’s Administration $50B in Infrastructure investment for transit modernization and improvements as a springboard for expanding 40,000 single-family homes in Black and Brown neighborhoods into courtyard-style multifamily income-producing properties, as illustrated in this article, for existing homeowners in our often forgotten communities. How do we get it done (besides reading below)? By being laser-focused, targeting a half-mile hub around LA’s rail stations in underserved communities. The investment strategy revitalizes infrastructure, accelerates equitable housing development, and renews parks and public spaces. It becomes a powerful tool to push and transform the physical landscape, fortify safety, bolster sustainability, and dramatically improve living and business conditions and the public transit experience for LA Residents and visitors. Oh, not to mention the Olympics are coming in 2028. How do we know it can work? We asked McKinsey, and they validated our plan and agreed. So now, I am back on the plane again.  #realestatedevelopment #transitorienteddevelopment #blackexcellence #urbandevelopment #urbanplanning #urbandesign #architecturaldesign #communitydevelopment

🌟 Day 4: Embracing the Four Cardinal Points of Justice As we enter Day 4 of our countdown, let's reflect on the significance of the number 4, representing the four cardinal points—north, south, east, and west. Just as these cardinal points guide our direction, Mahadi Buthelezi🇿🇦's inclusive leadership serves as a compass, guiding us towards a more just and equitable real estate landscape. Today, we bear witness to history in the making. Mahadi Buthelezi's expertise and inclusive leadership have not only transformed the property sector but have also set a precedent for fairness and representation for all. Join us as we stand united in demanding justice and equality for every individual, regardless of background or circumstance. #SAPropertySector🇿🇦 #InclusiveLeadership 🇿🇦 #SocialJusticeLeadership🇿🇦

Last week we had our first Black Planner Collective call of 2024 and it was great! New folks joining, returning folks, and a mix of Black planners/urbanists at various levels just enjoying each other's company in a safe space. My goal for this space are: 1. Grow the space to encourage more Black planners and Black folks interested in urban planning in any way. 2. Curate space offline for an in person connection! 3. Continue building a safe space for folks to stay connected, share insight/feedback/advice, and be surrounded by other Black folks doing good work! If you're interested in staying in the loop about upcoming BPC calls, jobs, and/or events that are aligned with BPC or hosted by other great orgs please fill out the form below under 'Black Planner Collective Subscribe List'! https://tr.ee/Qamtku13kA Look forward to continue growing the dopest virtual third place! 💚 #blackurbanplanners #urbanplanning #safespace #networking #community #blackplannercollective #virtualcommunity #urbanplanner

We could not agree more President Dowdell, #RepresentationMatters! "In the US, only 2% of licensed architects are Black. Less than a single percent are Black women." – Kriston Capps (Bloomberg CityLab) Our cities are the creations of their creators and we desperately need to welcome others to ensure future cities are destinations ensuring the health, safety, and welfare for everyone. "On the north side of Chicago, which is more wealthy, the life expectancy is about 90 years of age. Then on the south side, which is less well resourced, that life expectancy is 60 years. We’re talking a 30-year life expectancy gap determined by zip code." – Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC #Architects #KimberlyDowdell #CommunityImpact #Equity #FutureCities #BloombergCityLab #UbuntuASAP