#74: Commitment Pools, India's Right to Walk, and San Diego's Food Justice
Welcome to the 74th 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:
“Commitment pools” are a neighborhood-scale trust system where residents use QR codes and shared ledgers to exchange promises, skills, and care. Inspired by community currency work in rural Kenya, the idea asks whether cities can build stronger local resilience by treating trust itself as civic infrastructure.
India’s Supreme Court has declared the right to walk on safe, demarcated footpaths a fundamental right, arguing that streets must prioritize pedestrians over motor vehicles and urging the government to create a legal framework to protect that right.
Who gets to walk on the beach? This article explores how shoreline access in the U.S. is far from guaranteed, shaped instead by a messy mix of law, private ownership and local power.
Frankfurt’s pilot project to front cameras on public buses to document illegal parking has ticketed 421 vehicles since February 2026, with 170 violations recorded in May 2026.
In Southeast San Diego, Project New Village is showing that food justice is also about who owns land, who builds neighborhood wealth, and who gets to shape the future of a community too often left out of investment.
Videos, podcasts, books, and socials:
In this episode of Sur-Urbano talks with Daniel Aldana Cohen about São Paulo, where fights for affordable housing and greener urbanism did not automatically come together, and why climate politics only work when they speak to everyday struggles over housing, transit and inequality.
Jemma Chapman created a successful art vending machine project, Toonie Stamps, culminating in a major collaboration with the Toronto Transit Commission.
A graphic story highlights the lives of sanitation workers and advocates for their dignity and respect in cities. This open-source document, also available in Hindi, is the first in a series, drawing inspiration from a study in Uttarakhand.
In the latest Strong Towns podcast Lars Doucet discusses the underlying causes of the housing crisis, arguing that land market dynamics, illustrated by the game Monopoly, explain why land value significantly impacts housing costs in both dense cities and sprawling suburbs. (Thanks Sam)
Jobs:
The Seattle Department of Transportation is hiring an associate transportation planner to develop new sidewalk projects and liaise with the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board. Hourly rate of $54 - $63. Apply by June 23.
ICLEI USA is hiring a program officer or senior program officer focused on climate mitigation to support local governments with greenhouse gas inventories, climate action planning and emissions reduction strategies. Fully remote U.S. role. $65k - $90k salary. Apply by June 26.
SEPTA is hiring a planner, real estate planning & development to support the Transit Oriented Communities program by assisting in the redevelopment of properties and advancing land use and zoning changes. The salary is $73k - $91k. Apply by June 26.
Eurocities is hiring a Forum Officer for its Environment Forum to coordinate work with more than 150 cities on climate and environmental priorities, while leading the annual forum in Guimarães this November. Brussels-based role. €2,5k - €2,8k monthly salary. Apply by June 28.
California Housing Partnership is hiring a senior research associate to conduct quantitative and qualitative research and policy analysis on affordable housing, including developing Python-based data workflows and maintaining public-facing tools. $100k - $110k salary. Apply by June 29.
The California Strategic Growth Council is hiring a student assistant to support its Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, which focuses on affordable housing, active transportation and community development. Apply by June 30.
Transportation Alternatives is hiring a deputy director to lead advocacy, organizing, policy, and government relations strategy for safe streets initiatives in NYC. $120k - $140k salary. Apply by July 6.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is hiring a rail planning, emerging talent intern to assist with subway service planning tasks, including developing service plans, analyzing ridership and operations data, and evaluating strategies for construction and maintenance work in New York. $21.00 hourly.
Portland State University’s Transportation Research and Education Center is seeking a research assistant to assist with applied research projects, data analysis, literature reviews, and funding proposals. $68k salary.
Planetizen is hiring an associate editor to steer editorial operations, assign and edit urban planning content, manage its newsfeed, and grow audience engagement for the leading urban planning website. $50k - $60k salary.
Events and deadlines:
Greenbelt Alliance is seeking new board members to provide strategic leadership, financial acumen and fundraising support for its mission to protect open spaces and advance equitable climate resilience in the Bay Area.
StreetSmart is seeking two remote, voluntary positions for a business developer and a fullstack engineer to prepare for its public pilot in September, turning street photos and lived experience into data for cities.
The University of York’s ArchiFUTURES PhD Research Conference 2026 invites abstracts for its student-led forum on architecture and the built environment, welcoming proposals on architectural history, sustainability, digital design, and community engagement. Apply by June 29.
What did you love? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.
As always, please share with a friend!
Mobile farmers truck bringing fresh, locally grown produce to neighborhoods throughout greater Southeastern San Diego. By: Project New Village