The Top Ten of 2024

As we wrap up the year, we’ve collected our most read articles and most streamed podcasts of 2024. Check them out below and, as always, thank you to all our readers and listeners!

1. Addressing Native Homelessness with Culturally Appropriate Housing

This article highlights efforts to address American Indian/Alaska Native homelessness through culturally appropriate housing, focusing on the work of Portland’s Native American Youth and Family Center. These initiatives use innovative funding to create spaces that prioritize Indigenous cultural practices and multi-generational living, serving as a national model for Native-first housing solutions.

2. Supporting Migrant Children in Chicago Public Schools

This piece discusses how city and Chicago Public Schools leaders are addressing the challenges faced by migrant children newly arriving in the city. Strategies such as mobile enrollment teams, social-emotional learning programs, and bilingual support help ensure inclusive education for these students.

3. Child Brain Development, Household Poverty, and Economic Mobility

This article explores how environmental factors like pollution and lead exposure in low-income areas negatively impact cognitive growth and long-term outcomes for youth. Leveraging data from connected devices, cities can monitor and address these issues with targeted interventions to break poverty cycles and improve economic opportunities. 

4. Expanding Discretion and Accountability in the Context of AI

This white paper discusses how AI, particularly generative AI, can expand government employees’ discretion while maintaining accountability. It discusses how AI tools can enhance decision-making, improve efficiency, and enable innovative solutions within government bureaucracy, while emphasizing the importance of balancing human judgment, ethical oversight, and transparent governance.

5. About the Community Data Health Initiative

This page introduces readers to the Community Data Health Initiative, which helps city leaders address localized environmental issues like air pollution and extreme heat to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. By collaborating with cities, the Initiative uses data-driven strategies and community input to implement solutions tailored to specific environmental challenges.

6. Tackling Homelessness with Strategic Data and Skills

In this podcast Carin Clary, director of Homelessness and Housing at Harvard's Government Performance Lab, discusses the role of data-driven strategies in addressing homelessness. The conversation explores an innovative pilot approach that prioritizes effective, sustainable interventions and reshapes homeless response systems.

7. The Role of GIS in Fair and Transparent Elections

This article highlights how geographic information systems play a crucial role in local election management by improving processes like polling place placement and voter communication. St. Louis County exemplifies innovation in election administration by using GIS tools to build trust, enhance accessibility, and optimize voting experiences.

8. Championing Equitable Infrastructure with Victoria Johnson

In this feature with Victoria Johnson, global equity director at HDR Engineering, discusses her leadership in advancing equitable infrastructure. Johnson emphasizes community-centered approaches, workforce diversification, and multi-generational wealth building, showcasing her work on major projects to demonstrate how to incorporate equity in infrastructure development.

9. Using Spatial Analytics to Address Localized Environmental Harm

This paper is a how-to guide for local leaders interested in using spatial analytics to address localized environmental harms, such as air pollution and extreme heat, by mapping and analyzing geographic data. It emphasizes the role of data-driven decision-making in targeting interventions and improving public health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. 

10. Framing Equity Work with Data: The Tucson Strategy

This podcast episode features Tucson's Chief Equity Officer Laurice Walker and Equity Data Manager Laura Sharp, who talk about using data and mapping to reshape city policies and services to prioritize equity. They discuss the city's equity framework, the Tucson Equity Data Strategy, and why it's important to leverage multiple types of data for impactful decisions to ensure more inclusive and effective city services.