Weekly Urban News Update
In This Update

A1IHC Global Featured in CIPS Magazine

IHC and its President/CEO were featured this week in the Global Perspectives magazine of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The magazine is produced for the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) program at NAR and is meant to be a "resource for global professionals that outlines how members can globalize their local market." 

The article presents interesting analysis of global cities and profiles IHC's expanded direction in support of inclusive, sustainable cities. The IHC feature highlights the ways that the private sector can help to create change toward greater equity for all in cities. 

Find more about the CIPS program here, and read the "Global Cities" article  here
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ICMA Report - Evaluating Success Factors of U.S. Choice Neighborhoods Program 

IHC member, the International City-County Management Association (ICMA) released a report last week, focused on the Choice Neighborhood Program, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  This comprehensive approach to neighborhood planning takes into account the economic and social needs of residents in public and assisted housing beyond those of their physical environment.

The paper is the result of a three-year evaluation of the role of local government and stakeholder engagement in neighborhood "Transformation Planning" and implementation and presents three case studies in Virginia and North Carolina. 

The findings are extensive and detailed. The study found continuing evidence of the importance of local government engagement to support neighborhood change, both facilitating community support and providing implementation frameworks. It also makes recommendations on the ways in which communities can be involved at all levels, and the importance of mixing large, time consuming projects with smaller more visible projects to keep the community engaged. 

The report acknowledges the difficulties of measuring neighborhood transformation projects, noting the importance of appropriate data and making suggestions of potential indicators that could help localities more easily measure and quantify their successes.

Read the full report here

A2IHC Statement on New Urban Agenda Zero Draft

IHC Global submitted a statement this week as part of the open Dialogue on the "Zero Draft" of the New Urban Agenda (NUA), which you can find here. The NUA will provide a "blueprint for urban development for the coming decades and is to be a principal outcome of Habitat III. Informal consultations with civil society and other stakeholders concerning the NUA, as part of the inclusive lead-up to Habitat III, have been taking place in New York this week, and the dialogue is open until June 13th. IHC Global hopes you consider adding your comments to the process as well. 

The IHC statement is divided into two sections: Themes, and Implementation.  In the first section IHC makes recommendations for strengthening the overall vision of the NUA, including a greater focus on communities, local governance, and broadening their definitions of inequality and inequity so that it will continue to inspire and guide urban development over the longer term.

In the second section, IHC makes specific recommendations on how this vision might be implemented. Greater attention to informal settlements, secure tenure, capacity building and key barriers to equitable development are addressed, among others. 

IHC's statement is available here. Please feel free to read and share widely, and to make your own statement here
ANIn the News and Around the Web

  • Read an IHC blog post on the UN World Cities Report, its findings and what it means for Habitat III here
     
  • Read a CitiScope Article discussing Mexico's leading role in placing rights at the center of Habitat III negotiations here
  • Read an article from the Judith Rodin, CEO of the Rockefeller Foundation on the first lessons learned from the 100 Resilient Cities Program here
  • Read an article on Santiago, Chile's plans to make public transit more environmentally friendly here
30% of the global urban population lives in slums today
(C) Affordable Housing Institute
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