#6: Indigenous Housing, 400k Bus Camera Tickets, and Vigilante Pothole Repair
Welcome to the sixth 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.
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Let's get started:
Sen̓áḵw, Canada's largest Indigenous-led housing development, is set to welcome residents this year as the Squamish Nation pioneers a vibrant, walkable, and sustainable community free from the parking minimums mandated by nearby cities. Video here.
MapTCHA is an open source CAPTCHA that improves OpenStreetMap instead of training Google’s AI models for free. Checkout the talk they gave earlier this month.
New York City's MTA has issued over 400,000 tickets in five months using bus-mounted cameras to catch drivers blocking bus stops and routes.
“Kampala: City report” analyzes the rapid expansion of one of Africa’s fastest growing cities and reveals urgent reform needs in informal settlements, youth development, land connectivity, and health services, while highlighting the potential of citizen-led change.
In “Cities Can Cost Effectively Start Their Own Utilities Now” Kevin Burke argues PG&E’s rates are so high alternatives should be considered.. This lines up with the remunicipalization chapter of “Beautiful Cities” we mentioned in Issue 4 of our newsletter.
St. Petersburg, Florida’s cycling culture is growing with the city as bike infrastructure has improved over recent years. (Submitted by Kevin)
Videos, podcasts, and books, and socials:
Vigilante pothole fixers share their story in this 60 second documentary.
QueensLink, a proposal to transform the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch into a subway service to ease overcrowded commutes clashes with a rival park project, demonstrating the political challenges faced by many initiatives. Watch the video here.
Discover Africa's next farming revolution as Proteen's free documentary unveils how insects are powering an innovative circular agricultural system.
Exploring urbanism across China’s cities, Hank Shen journeyed to China for Chinese New Year and shared many photos, videos, and commentary capturing urban life from small towns to sprawling cities. (Submitted by Hank)
An animation showing 460ish trains moving across NYC at once went virtual on Instagram last week.
Jobs:
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is hiring a projects lead to oversee and expand their Twinning and Partnership-Building portfolio, focusing on strengthening local governance and cooperation across Europe. Apply by March 14.
Next City and CivicLex are seeking a journalist for a one-year hybrid fellowship (April 2025-2026) reporting on rural-urban interdependence in central and Appalachian Kentucky. The role highlights collaborative solutions to challenges like housing, transportation, and sustainability. $53,560 salary.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is hiring a tenure-track lecturer in urban and landscape design for socially inclusive sustainability transition. Apply by March 24.
The Housing Studies Charitable Trust is offering a fully-funded postdoctoral fellowship for early-career housing researchers. The 12-month position must be based at a UK university or research institution. Apply by March 31.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation is hiring a senior planner in its Land Use Department. The role involves managing land use approvals, environmental reviews, and regulatory processes for projects, including initiatives in climate resilience, affordable housing, and public space. $85,000 salary.
ETH Zurich is hiring a PhD student for Transportation and Mobility Planning to research traffic safety, personal security, or active travel in urban systems. It will start between now and Sept. 1.
Events and deadlines:
Decidim is a free open-source software supporting participatory democracy for cities and organizations. They’re holding an online meeting to discuss collaboration and governance with the community. March 4.
“GIS and Spatial Analysis for Urban Practitioners” is a new course by All Things Urban and if their free intro session about using OpenStreetMap data with QGIS was any indication it should be a wonderful course. Use promo code
URBANISMNOWfor 15% off. Not sponsored, just appreciated. See you there! Starting March 8.“NYC School of Data” is an annual, community-driven conference organized by BetaNYC, focusing on open data, civic technology, and service design in New York City. The in-person event will be held at CUNY School of Law. Taking place March 29.
The second international conference on the Future Design of Streets in Portugal (June 26-27, 2025) has an open call for papers and posters, to explore innovative approaches to street design and planning. Proposals are welcome from designers, planners, researchers, and citizens alike. Abstract submission by March 15.
The Critical Perspectives on Urban Political Economy Conference has a call for papers for its upcoming event in Turku, Finland, on May 26-27, 2025. The conference seeks contributions on urban entrepreneurialism, housing crises, green finance, urban justice, and more. Submit abstracts by March 15.
What did you love? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.
As always, please share with a friend!
Sen̓áḵw Development as February 2024. Source: Geordie Milne
