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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LISC Op-Ed: Syracuse, NY Affordable Housing Pilot Shows the Power of Federal Tax Credits

In a recent opinion piece for the Syracuse Post Standard, LISC New York Senior Executive Director Valerie White and LISC Senior Vice President for Policy Matt Josephs highlight how federal tax credits are being leveraged to address housing shortages in Syracuse. These kinds of public-private partnerships are enabling local developers to construct affordable homes, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide essential housing options for residents. The expansion of such credits nationwide, moreover, including through the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, can help close the gap between construction or renovation costs and home value to mitigate the housing cris

Creating Opportunity in Rural America: Why Our Funders Support Rural LISC

Funders make realizing our mission possible. At our recent Rural Seminar in Little Rock, Arkansas, we asked our funders why they support Rural LISC. Hear what our friends from USDA Rural Development, Mastercard Strive, U.S. Bank and Walton Family Foundation had to say.

LISC and American Express to Help Small Businesses Prepare for and Recover from Future Natural Disasters with $5 Million Grant

A new $5 million grant from American Express will help LISC and its business development organization partners equip small business owners with the knowledge and tools they need to prepare for and recover from natural disasters. The work will focus on communities in Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Puerto Rico.