#32: NYC's Surveillance, Montevideo's Playground Evolution, and Berlin's Car-Free Vision

Welcome to the 32nd 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:

• The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project released a handbook exposing how New York City's extensive surveillance network threatens civil liberties and reinforces racial inequities. The report calls for urbanists to think carefully about data collection in public spaces.

• A study involving 5,400 individuals relocating across 1,600 U.S. cities shows that those moving to walkable areas take 1,100 more steps daily. Check your city’s walkability score.

• An MIT doctoral student's research on land-value taxes is influencing policy debates in Detroit, proposing a way to encourage city-wide investment and reduce foreclosures. 

• ​​The evolution of children's playground infrastructure in Montevideo reflects an increasing awareness and commitment to creating inclusive public spaces, though they still primarily focus on physical accessibility.

In mobility:

• Berlin citizens propose the world's largest car-free zone, covering an area larger than Manhattan, aiming to enhance urban living and environmental health.

• Denver's Regional Transportation District is funding a pilot program that makes the first mile of scooter and e-bike rides to two light rail stations free. The program was conceived by a graduate student.

• Intercity buses in the US are having a moment, with eight major cities investing in bus terminals.

Videos, podcasts, books, and socials:

• A video from City Beautiful explains why most one-way streets in U.S. cities should be converted back to two-way systems, arguing they make local trips longer, increase crash severity, and can depress property values.

• A podcast with cultural anthropologist Dr. Manissa Maharawal explores how ethnography can be a tool for activism, drawing on her work with the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project to contest tech-led gentrification in San Francisco.

• On the lighter side, check out this YouTuber who built a stealth camping dumpster to spend a night on the Venice Boardwalk.

• We also enjoyed this short critical comic: When a contractor designs the city.

Jobs:

• The city of Elk Grove, California, is hiring a sustainability program manager to develop, implement, and manage city-wide sustainability and climate action programs. $109k - $146k salary. Apply

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