Eviction Diversion Resource Center

On October 15th, colleagues from fellow RACF initiative RENEW (Rochester ENergy Efficiency and Weatherization), passed along a memo to members from the National Low Income Housing Coalition about Monroe County’s new resource center.

The memo - found here - references ACT Rochester data and explains the utility of this important public service. The Eviction Diversion Resource Center (EDRC) is located within the Hall of Justice and is associated with Housing Court. In fact, the EDRC appears to be a nexus point for many housing-related organizations in Monroe County.

Housing has been a hot button issue and the EDRC and the article provide critical information to inform community members in need, as well as the stories we are telling about housing in Monroe County. Consider this some significant Brain Food!

National Zoning Atlas + Local Update

I attended Reconnect Rochester’s film event - “The Sprawl Effect” - last week, and it was fantastic! Information, important conversation, and inspiration were plentiful.

At the event, I was introduced to a new resource that is relevant to zoning conversations that I know are happening across our community. Reminder: zoning codes were highlighted in Poverty, by America as a key area to focus on for poverty abolitionist work.

The resources is the National Zoning Atlas, an effort to digitize, demystify, and democratize (the 3 Ds!) zoning codes across urban counties in the US. Of particular interest is an interactive map, that includes zoning information about much of Monroe County. In addition to the map, the website includes a section called ‘Atlases in Action’ that provides snapshots, examples of advocacy, analysis, and some curated research on the topic. It is worth perusing!

Note: the project’s focus seems to be urban areas and therefore only areas within Monroe County are included at this stage, and even within Monroe County there are some gaps (Irondequoit is not available, for example). The project is in building mode so we hope that their good work expands into the other 7 counties of our region.

Consider using the National Zoning Atlas to check your facts and inform your conversations about zoning codes in Monroe County! The link is also included on the National Data Sources and Services page under Resources (a great reference list!).

UPDATE: In a brilliant example of communicating and connecting, Shane Wiegand (of Our Local History at CCSI) alerted me to a local project done in collaboration with Dr. Stu Jordan at the University of Rochester on zoning regulations and city planning. Please find an excellent story map here and a map specific to exclusionary zoning in Monroe County (with 2018 data) here.

3 Excellent Short Reads on Public Safety

The issues of crime and public safety have been top-of-mind since before COVID, and then the circumstances of the pandemic made everything worse. So, communities across the country have been struggling with crime statistics, identifying trends, and attempting to intervene effectively.

Chicago and the University of Chicago Crime Lab have been center stage. The Crime Lab is nationally recognized for its applied research and is often seen as the gold standard for evidence-based intervention toward public safety.

On September 23rd, 2023, three articles came out that highlight the work of Chicago’s Crime Lab and provide high quality food for thought:

1. An article about the difference between data and personal experience, and what the experience gap tells us about the reality behind the numbers. I know that I have heard friends and colleagues talk about the confusion of data trends that show reduced crime while at the same time feeling less safe downtown than we can remember. This article provides approachable insight. Highly recommend!

2. An article about an approach to gun violence prevention that has been successful in high risk neighborhoods in Chicago

3. Commentary directly from staff at UChicago Crime Lab and insight into some of the work that the Crime Lab has done that shows promise and innovation, including the establishment of Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs) for data-driven decision-making

Please consider reading all three articles, particularly as you engage in conversations about public safety in the city of Rochester. We need to learn from Chicago and see what we can customize for the Rochester context.

Brain food for evidence-based decision making around public safety!

Curated Article: How 3 cities are using federal funding to reknit communities divided by urban renewal and freeways

Reimagining the Civic Commons posted an article about Reconnecting Communities grants that includes case studies about Cleveland, OH, Akron, OH, and Miami, FL.

Included in the case study review is a spotlight on designer and spatial justice activist Liz Ogbu. Liz Ogbu was a featured speaker in Syracuse at the New York State Funders Alliance meeting in October of 2023, and she was fantastic. Her message promotes a diversity of narratives and embracing creativity as we think about our public spaces.

We have similar urban renewal projects that we think about and talk about in our community, and these 3 case studies may spark something new in the story you tell or the framing you use.

As a reminder, opening our minds to new stories often leads to innovation, which can lead to transformation and improvement. Let’s get creative!

Curated Book on Urban Design

A close friend lent me the book Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery after a lengthy policy conversation. He told me I needed to read it; he was right. You should read it, too!

Note that Happy City is not written by social scientists so the objective of the book is not to prove or disprove a hypothesis. I loved and recommend Happy City because it is an exercise in out-of-the-box thinking. It is a catalyst for innovative problem-solving. It provides case studies of cities across the world, told as stories, and patched together for a wholistic and human-centered approach to the complex challenges of urban areas. Happy City highlights the successes of Vancouver, Canada, Bogota, Colombia, Siena, Italy, and Paris, France, and it uses history and exceptional scholarship to make arguments about what makes a city great and how to improve the quality of life for all city residents.

“And what are our needs for happiness?... We need to walk, just as birds need to fly. We need to be around other people. We need beauty. We need contact with nature. And most of all, we need not to be excluded. We need to feel some sort of equality." (pg. 6)

Montgomery introduces concepts like challenged thriving (pg. 37), the relationship between happiness, economists, and urban design, unintended negative consequences of urban sprawl (beyond the damage to the environment!), and on page 111 Montgomery references a relevant psychological study at the University of Rochester. 

We spend so much time reading about the challenges of the City of Rochester and perhaps you find yourselves talking about those challenges in your networks. Consider reading Happy City to catalyze more creative thought about what urban transformation could look like.

Consider Happy City for your brain food - it's high quality nutrition for healthy thought! 

Source: Montgomery, C. (2013). Happy city: Transforming our lives through urban design. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York.

Curated Blog Post: Central New York Community Foundation

Our friends at the Central New York Community Foundation posted a blog on July 11th titled "Lending Tree Study Ranked Syracuse Second in Economic Disparity."

I know what you're thinking - where does Rochester rank? Fortunately, we did not make the bottom five. Unfortunately, we are bottom six.

I encourage you to read the CNY blog post for their insight, and to look at the lending tree study itself (linked directly here). We have more work to do!

Interview with Robert Putnam

A friend of ACT Rochester passed along this interview with Robert Putnam and the associated article from The New York Times. (Thanks, Barb!) The interview talks about Putnam’s famed book Bowling Alone, rampant loneliness, and the social circumstances of our society. Dr. Putnam is a political scientist and social capital expert.  

Dr. Putnam is no stranger to our community, as he worked with RACF on a social capital survey in the 1990s. He thinks, talks, and writes a lot about “joining” and its opposite, social isolation. This topic is particularly relevant post-COVID and has many correlations to upward mobility. 

Consider this interview and Robert Putnam’s work as our political landscape lights up preparing for November elections.

Curated article: When Neighbors Choose…

Next City published an article on August 6th, 2024 that gives an interesting example of community-led grantmaking. Community members are making decisions about programming, and the money follows. See “When Neighbors Choose How To Spend Philanthropic When Neighbors Choose How To Spend Philanthropic Dollars.”

The story is about the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, a neighborhood hit hard by the opioid epidemic. This case study is a very interesting example of how neighborhoods can drive their own revitalization, and of a new dynamic with philanthropy. 

Food for thought!

2024 Paris Olympics

Is there a better way to CONNECT than as part of Olympics fandom? If we think about ACT Rochester’s 4 Cs - Curate, Communicate, Catalyze, Connect - we could probably tell an Olympics story for each of them. Connect, though, is an important and somewhat underutilized one.

The idea is to connect people to people, people/organizations with data, and people to organizations. This is important because information and resources travels through social networks, and inequities are born from certain networks being excluded. 

We are, admittedly, stretching a bit with this Olympics connection but there is an opportunity for authentic connection. The Olympics provide an easy common denominator - a platform to connect with people and sports that we would otherwise not gravitate toward. 

And honestly, we wanted to highlight the Olympics because witnessing excellence, sportsmanship, and competition is such a special experience. Most of the time we give brainfood here, and the Olympics has been such good heart-food! 

A State-Level Look at the Social Safety Net

The US social safety net is a collection of programs meant to support families experiencing financial hardship. The provision of these programs varies widely by state, and Brookings has published an article and interactive data tool for us to review New York State. These are great references to consider, particularly as we think about the elections coming up in November and the overall well-being of our community. 

As you review these tools, also consider New York State tax credit policies, laid out and defined here. Consider looking up other states as well, so you can put New York in context.  

Guest Post: Navigating Screen Time in Early Childhood

It’s no secret that too much screen time can throw off a child’s bedtime routine or cut into playtime that’s critical for their physical and social development. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests keeping it simple: no screens for kids under 2 (except for video chats) and only an hour a day for children between 2 and 5, focusing on high-quality programming.

Despite the downsides, there's a silver lining to screen use. Educational apps and shows from trusted creators like Sesame Workshop and PBS Kids have been lifesavers, offering engaging ways to introduce concepts like ABCs and 123s. We want to choose programs that are age-appropriate and foster curiosity rather than passive consumption.

My Top Tips for a Balanced Screen Diet

1. Pick Quality Content: Just like we watch what our kids eat, let’s be selective about what they watch. Look for programs that are educational and free of fast-paced, flashy distractions.

2. Set Clear Boundaries: Consistency is everything. Set clear rules about when screens are allowed and when they’re not, and stick to them as much as possible.

3. Watch Together: Whenever you can, sit down and watch with your kids. This lets us talk about what they're seeing and connect it back to things they know or have experienced, which turns screen time into a shared, interactive moment.

4. Designate Screen-free Spaces: Let’s make spaces like bedrooms a no-screen zone, which helps signal that these spaces are for sleeping and relaxing, not digital play.

5. Encourage Other Activities: Let’s also look for ways to get our kids playing outside or with toys that don’t have a power button. It’s important they learn to find joy and engagement in activities that don’t involve screens.

Finding the perfect balance of screen time can feel daunting, but by setting thoughtful guidelines and actively participating in how our children engage with digital media, we can make sure technology acts as a tool for learning and growth, not just a way to pass the time. It’s all about creating a healthy media diet that works for each child’s needs and the family’s values. Here’s to navigating the digital age with a little more confidence and a lot more heart!

Dr. Tyana Velazquez-Smith is the Director of Early Childhood at Rochester Area Community Foundation. With a doctorate in Teaching and Curriculum from the University of Rochester, Dr. Velazquez-Smith is an adjunct instructor at U of R, teaching courses like Race, Class, Gender & Disability in American Schools. She is the Founder and CEO of Sensational Inclusion, dedicated to building equitable educational ecosystems. Dr. Velazquez-Smith is a native Rochestarian, passionate activist, educator, and dedicated researcher.

The University of Chicago Crime Lab and RIT’s Center for Public Safety Initiatives

Public safety, incarceration, and the national gun violence crisis is top of mind, locally and across the US. The concern is clear, but the solutions are not. Enter: higher education-sponsored research and evaluation. 

Prestigious universities are directing resources and human capital to learn more about how to increase safety in our communities. The University of Chicago’s Crime Lab is nationally renowned and oft-referenced for its work in this area, and we have a local center dedicated to public safety research at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

The Crime Lab at the University of Chicago’s stated mission is to design, test, and scale data-driven innovations to improve the public sector’s response to the dual challenges of America’s gun violence crisis and a criminal justice system that is not truly just. Their website is a valuable resource for research and findings based in Chicago, and the vision suggests that they plan to expand their work nationwide. 

RIT’s College of Liberal Arts hosts a multi-disciplinary research center called the Center for Public Safety Initiatives that examines strategies to reduce crime and enhance the administration of justice. Services of the center include program evaluation, data analytics, and project management. Be sure to visit the website for research, staff and student information, and a story map collection that provides public-safety data for Monroe County. 

The 74

The 74 is a nonprofit news organization specifically focused on US education. Per the website, their mission is to use “data, investigation, and expertise” in order to “lead an honest, fact-based conversation about how to give American students the skills, support and social mobility they deserve” and “to challenge the status quo, expose corruption and inequality, spotlight solutions, confront the impact of systemic racism, and champion the heroes bringing positive change to our schools.”

Articles from The 74 include a student’s perspective on financial aid in 2019, research analyses such as “4 Things Districts Should Do Right Now – Before the Fiscal Cliff,” school funding analysis by renowned scholars, and a study of school-family communication. 

Consider The 74 as a resource for education narratives.