An Open Streets Family Reunion: Reflections from the 2018 Open Streets Summit

By Ryan O’Connor, Director of Programs, 8 80 Cities Recently 8 80 Cities wrote a blog post about open streets being a labour of love. That being the case, the 2018 Open Streets Summit in New Orleans felt like a family reunion of sorts. It was rejuvenating to see old and new friends who share our passion for open streets and are working tirelessly to create healthier, happier, and more connected communities across the world. The event, which took place on September 15-16, brought together more than 50 leaders who currently organize open streets programs or are interested in bringing the...

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Open Streets Summit Draft Agenda

We hope you are getting ready and feel excited about the Open Streets Summit in Gretna/New Orleans! Taking place from September 15-16, 2018, the Summit will feature tours, presentations and networking opportunities with open streets champions and organizers from across the continent. Attendees will learn about the nuts and bolts of starting or scaling up open streets programs, including: Route design and planning Partnerships with business and officials Social inclusion Safety and logistics Marketing and promotion Program evaluation through measurable goals and metrics If you haven’t done it yet, click here to register for the Open Streets Summit only or...

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Open Streets Summit Speakers Announced!

The Open Streets Project is proud to announce that Ed Solis from Viva Calle (San Jose, CA), Romel Pascual from CicLAvia (Los Angeles, CA), Jaymie Santiago and Charles Brown from New Brunswick Ciclovia will join us as speakers for the 2018 Open Streets Summit in New Orleans and Gretna! Taking place from September 15-16 2018, the Summit will feature: Behind the scenes tour of the City of Gretna’s inaugural open streets program. Workshops, presentations, and networking opportunities with open streets champions and organizers from across the continent. Training and inspiration for both -novice and experienced- open streets organizers and supporters...

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How LISC Houston Is Galvanizing Harvey Recovery

An article in The Atlantic's Renewal Project gives props to LISC Houston's Amanda Timm and the women leaders of four other local groups partnered to repair hundreds of hurricane-ravaged homes in the ongoing wake of Harvey. Together, the collaborative is deploying a $17 million grant to make 480 houses livable again.

Preserving Community Culture In the Midst of a Boom

An article in Next City details how LISC’s NYC Inclusive Creative Economy Fund is connecting local cultural institutions and artisanal manufacturers to much-needed capital, like the venerable La MaMa theater in the city’s East Village, where real estate has become prohibitively expensive. LISC is working to extend a $3.2 million line of credit to La MaMa, filling a critical financing gap for the theater, which must renovate its historic home in order to serve artists and audiences on into the future. The excerpt below is from: Experimental Theater Pushes Boundaries to Preserve Itself By Oscar Perry Abello, Next City

Maurice A. Jones On...(Episode #15)

As we close out 2018, we are pleased to feature Captain Dean Isabella of the Providence Police Department in conversation with Maurice. Isabella is a longtime partner of LISC’s Safety & Justice program and a tireless advocate for a community-oriented approach to policing. He shares his insight into the benefits of police-resident partnerships and the imperative of a holistic strategy for crime reduction and nurturing safe neighborhoods. More information on LISC’s Safety & Justice work in Providence and beyond can be found here.