Urban Matters

A groundbreaking new study shows that access to “greened” vacant lots reduced feelings of worthlessness and depression, especially in low-resource neighborhoods. More

For decades, manufacturers in the United States have warned of a massive skills gap: that there are not enough new workers with the skills needed to make up for older ones who are retiring. President Biden has proposed $100 billion... More

As coronavirus cases disproportionately impact communities of color, several local and state officials have declared racism a public health crisis. More

Housing inequality and segregation was the norm in the 20th century, even if the Fair Housing Act of 1968 sought to erase racial discrimination. More

One of the more pernicious forms of racial inequality in this country is the wealth gap between white and Black Americans. Income gaps aside, disparities in wealth are even starker, and worsening. More

Black Illinoisans are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than White Illinoisans. We need to reprioritize resources within a racial equity framework to change that. More

In Highland Park, a small hamlet surrounded entirely by the city of Detroit, 2014 was not the best time to be thinking about expanding primary care and behavioral health services. Detroit had recently declared bankruptcy, and the broader economy was... More

Trish doesn’t have many places to turn. She’s living at her elderly father’s home without a job because she can’t afford the care he needs. And every day she says the balance sheet seems stained with more red ink. More

Stereotypes and prejudice may persist, even despite the socioeconomic attainments of minority groups. More

Mayors weigh in: America’s cities have been staging a comeback in recent years, with many downtown areas attracting a new wave of educated Millennials. With this influx of residents comes a demand for housing. In the latest Menino Survey of Mayors, released this week... More