It can be a nightmare for any neighborhood: A house or apartment complex in disrepair is ruining the block, and the landlord defies cleanup/renovation orders. Eventually, local government is tasked with taking matters into its own hands. Programs like the … Continue reading →
As budgets get stretched tighter and tighter, everyone is looking for innovative ways to complete civic projects. Civic crowdfunding is an avenue that has met with some success. Crowdfunding is defined as the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas or … Continue reading →
For more than a century, building codes have been implemented nationwide to protect the health, safety and welfare of their communities. To be effective, codes must have a robust development process and enforcement infrastructure. America’s code administration and enforcement professionals … Continue reading →
Are people talking about your town or city — is it getting a reputation for being weird or different? The things that make a community unique — avante-garde, artsy communities, Bohemian neighborhoods, infamous histories — are precisely the things that can attract more … Continue reading →
Millennials and baby boomers are increasingly seeking to settle in urban areas. This requires municipal leaders to look at what is important for these groups in terms of amenities, culture and opportunities: in other words, what makes a community age-friendly. Millennials = Teens … Continue reading →
It’s a worst-case scenario: A family wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of a smoke detector blaring. Upstairs, the kids are asleep: But without hesitation, the parents rush in and get them out. Smoke is … Continue reading →
Winter can be a beast, and its snowfall has already made 2014–15 memorable: particularly with snowstorm Knife. The storm dropped approximately 7 feet of snow in the Buffalo area, resulting in commuters being stranded — some for as long as … Continue reading →
Among the geomorphic and hydrologic considerations of stormwater planning, soil types and conditions are often neglected. But stormwater control measures that are implemented on insufficiently permeable soil can lead to flooding, insufficient plant growth and even failure of the stormwater … Continue reading →
What weighs 29 tons, moves at 40 miles per hour and carries a 12-foot blade in front of it? It’s not a figment of a science fiction, but rather a commonplace sight in most northern states. The answer, of course, … Continue reading →
Proclamations, prayers and parades: Veterans Day observances rely on all three to demonstrate respect and appreciation for citizens who responded to the call of duty. The biggest and longest-running celebration of the sacrifices of veterans probably happens in Newton, N.C.; … Continue reading →
By TOM GRIFFITHS, Ed.D. and RACHEL GRIFFITHS, M.A. | Guest Columnists Often when a catastrophe strikes and lives are lost, especially during plane, train, car and military conflicts, situational awareness is indicated as a root cause of the disaster. Situational … Continue reading →
