#31: Depaving, Teen-friendly Spaces, and Motels to Homes

Welcome to the 31st 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:

• From Cairo to Cuenca, cities are crafting vibrant teen-friendly spaces. Cairo's Hangouts App empowers teens to map their city, while Cuenca's Bibliorio turns parks into dynamic libraries, fostering community and creativity.

• A Nashville nonprofit is turning 31k square feet of concrete into green space in North Nashville this summer to better manage stormwater and reduce flood risk. The “Depave” initiative partners with schools and businesses to replace impervious surfaces with plants and permeable pavement.

• Albuquerque's innovative approach to affordable housing involves converting old motels into homes. This creative reuse helps alleviate housing shortages and revitalizes unused properties.

• Omaha Metro Transit launched a new on-demand micro-transit service called Metro Flex to connect people to the existing fixed-route bus network.

• This recent study uses web-mining to map local government priorities in German county websites, revealing regional differences in policy focus.

Videos, podcasts, books, and socials:

• Statistics Canada released a free, beginner-friendly training series on QGIS, the world’s leading open-source GIS platform. The hands-on tutorials teach users how to create maps and analyze spatial data.

• Any Austin's video analyzes street signs in Grand Theft Auto 5 and finds them largely non-compliant with real-world traffic laws.

Jobs:

• Street Plans is hiring an urban designer to help develop technical drawings and support project tasks for transportation and placemaking projects in the SF Bay Area. $55k - $65k salary. Apply by August 25.

• European Cyclists’ Federation seeks a junior Projects & Partnerships Coordinator to support EuroVelo, the European cycle route network. 2,200€ monthly salary August 26.

• The NYC Department of Transportation is hiring a policy analyst for its new Division of Sustainable Delivery to work on safety and policy for the rapid growth of app-based delivery and micromobility. $62k - $97k salary.

• ICLEI, an organization focused on global sustainability, is hiring for multiple positions including project management and policy specialist at its regional offices worldwide.

Events and deadlines:

• The Institute for Progress is seeking submissions for a Transit Policy Playbook to improve

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