#37: Women-Only Taxis, Bee Bricks, and Pop-Up Bike Lanes

Welcome to the 37th issue of Urbanism Now, our weekly newsletter curated with brief and insightful urban ideas from around the world to inspire action where you (c)are.

This newsletter is curated by Maria Paula Moreno Vivas and Ray Berger. Learn more on our About page.

Thank you for your interest and support. If you find this newsletter useful, please forward it to a friend!

Let’s get started:

• Some UK councils are requiring “bee bricks” in new construction projects to help combat pollinator decline. The bricks have built-in cavities designed to house solitary bees, embedding biodiversity directly into buildings.

• Residents in Atlanta raised $10,000 and used volunteers to build a pop-up protected bike lane connecting two schools as part of the city’s tactical urbanism program.

• A feminist collective in Mexico City called AmorrAs provides a ride-sharing service exclusively for women. The grassroots initiative was created in response to systemic violence against women in public and private transportation. English CNN article here.

• The King County Council unanimously banned landlords from using rent-setting software like RealPage, which is accused of helping landlords collude to artificially increase rents.

Videos, podcasts, books, and socials:

• Tell us what you’ve been reading/watching!

Jobs:

• The Universitat de Barcelona is offering a fully funded PhD position in sociology to research the governance of municipal public real estate assets in Spanish cities. Apply by October 7.

• Tampa, Florida is hiring a tier 3 planner for affordable housing to manage federal and state grants and determine project eligibility. $75k - $132k salary. Apply by October 20.

• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is hiring a tenure-track professor for ‘city and climate’ to advance the design and adaptation of the built environment to the challenges of climate change. October 31. Submitted by Franziska.

Events and deadlines:

• The MIT Center for Real Estate is seeking a junior researcher for an in-person project on AI, technology, and real estate. The six-month position begins in October 2025 and is open to recent graduates.

• Resilient Cities Catalyst is hiring a new program associate. The position is remote with a preference for candidates near NYC.

• Civity hosts “Getting to the ‘Heart’ of NIMBY Resistance to Affordable Housing,” a webinar exploring how personal storytelling and relationship-building can transform housing debates into deeper community connection. October 6.

• Project for Public Spaces is offering community placemaking grants for U.S.

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