Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#131

Post by jwagenet » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:36 PM UTC

georgeoliver wrote: post #56

mybandisbetter wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to being a quality human in these ways, I'd recommend googling "tactical urbanism." That means: do quick, low-cost interventions in your neighbourhood, like painting a mural on the street, building flower boxes, or creating a pocket park. (Should probably get permission, but for some things, just do it). This all helps attract people to the street and builds a sense of ownership, which encourages folks to…

> Keep in mind that "gentrification" also tends to make local residents wealthier — it's not as simple as the usual picture in which locals are simply pushed out. I'm genuinely curious to see your sources on this -- isn't displacement of original residents the primary definition of gentrification?

In addition to increased equity, I’d argue original residents also have an opportunity to take advantage of the increase in commerce with increased foot traffic to existing businesses or creating and supporting new businesses.

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#132

Post by tedsanders » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:37 PM UTC

Retric wrote: post #88

burlesona wrote: post #44

The single best thing you can do is pick a neighborhood - not the whole city - and invest deeply. Get to know everyone in the neighborhood and understand what they want and need, then try to find ways to bring that. When you have a strong network of neighbors and a little bit of cash, you can ramp up investment by cleaning up dirty corners and getting the basic services that a neighborhood is missing. Here’s an examp…

I mean this in the most objective way possible. The risk with urban improvement is making the area more desirable eventually prices people out of the community. So, the real question is do you help the land or current residents? When you own property it’s seriously worth considering local improvements for several reasons, but it’s also easy to confuse the two. Further, if most people in the community own property the…

I think your concern is valid but unfounded. This is fortunate - otherwise the way to help the poor would be to vandalize their neighborhoods, which is a strange conclusion.

It's true that increasing quality of a neighborhood will increase its housing price. This will have disparate impact: (1) it will help people who enjoy higher quality, but (2) it will hurt people who would prefer low quality and lower price. However, I think it's important to remember that the stock of people and housing are mostly fixed. If you raise the quality of one neighborhood so that more people bid to move in, then at the same time there must be other unobserved neighborhoods where prices fall. Therefore there is also a third effect of making a neighborhood nicer: (3) it can lower prices in other neighborhoods.

One way I like to visualize it is as a supply curve - if you move some neighborhoods up in the desirability ranking, then by conservation of rank, others necessarily fall in rank.

The argument I sketched above isn't a proof, obviously. There are edge cases where higher quality induces more people to own multiple homes or to live with fewer roommates, and nuances where heterogeneous preference for locations may make it harder on someone who needs to commute to their job and really would be better served by a cheap neighborhood, but for the most part I think it's reasonable that making neighborhoods nice is an overall positive good for the world.

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#133

Post by lcall » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:37 PM UTC

Much important change happens one individual at a time. So I would say: 1) Honesty (with kindness). 2) Treating others the way oneself would want to be treated (the Golden Rule). 3) Be observant for anyone doing anything good & praiseworthy and encourage them ("good job at ___ing! Way to go! I like it!"). 4) find opportunities to serve, and also encourage others. One way is via https://www.justserve.org/ which lets individuals find organizations looking for local volunteers, or organizations post what they do so individuals can find them (free).

edit: 5?: While at it, be good to your family. An excellent long-term investment.

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#134

Post by uberman » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:38 PM UTC

npteljes wrote: post #17

uberman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I echo this. I read someplace (can't recall now where) that once people see other trash in an area they are more likely to litter there themselves. Few people want to be the first to litter in the park, but if it is full of litter then who cares right?

I think you're remembering the broken windows theory [0], is that right? The a theory that visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, and civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory

sounds like it :-)

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#135

Post by diegoholiveira » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:39 PM UTC

burlesona wrote: post #44

The single best thing you can do is pick a neighborhood - not the whole city - and invest deeply. Get to know everyone in the neighborhood and understand what they want and need, then try to find ways to bring that. When you have a strong network of neighbors and a little bit of cash, you can ramp up investment by cleaning up dirty corners and getting the basic services that a neighborhood is missing. Here’s an examp…

Great advice.

I would complement saying that you should look for charities in or around your neighbourhood instead of giving to charities that doesn't affect the place you live directly (but if you super rich, do both).

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#136

Post by munificent » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:43 PM UTC

vharuck wrote: post #95

hprotagonist wrote: post #13

"community organizer" is not a bad word. It means that you should walk into your local YMCA, public library, boys and girls club, food pantry, homeless shelter, religious center, etc. of your choosing, find someone who looks like they're too busy and thus must be in charge, and say "Hi, I'm Bob. I have Mondays free for the foreseeable future. What do you need?" Then, pay attention, show up every Monday promptly on ti…

If you join a volunteering group, you should decide after a couple meetings if it's worth staying with that group or finding another. It's not just whether you agree with their mission but also their social dynamics. There's no "best setup" here; it's whatever you'd enjoy most. It's hard to help people if you're unhappy doing it. You may prefer a "show up, help, leave" deal, or something more like a social club that…

I want to emphasize how important this point is.

With work—stuff that you're paid to do—everyone on the team has some shared incentives that can help foster alignment and consensus. Everyone wants stuff to get done because you and your team are in 100% agreement about wanting those paychecks to keep coming. Even with that, there is often drama and office politics.

With community organization, hobbies, etc. everyone is in it for the instrinsic rewards, and those vary widely among people. Some will be in it to meet new friends, others like seeing a neighborhood visibly look better. Some like the sense of power, others the sense of belonging.

It is really easy to end up in a group whose personalities and goals are too different to work together effectively, through no real fault of any individual. Like any relationship, you may have to try a few before something gels.

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#137

Post by dragonwriter » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:45 PM UTC

amanaplanacanal wrote: post #119

troughway wrote: post #114

I like how some comments are painting a rise in wealth in these areas as somehow bad, but are hiding it behind the term “gentrification” and doing cartwheels to make sure the areas stay in poverty but somehow better than before. I’ll leave the comment at that, it’s amusing enough.

Yes it’s unfortunate. Gentrification is a big win for homeowners, and a big loss for renters. Are there strategies that allow us to improve our neighborhoods without displacing renters?

> Are there strategies that allow us to improve our neighborhoods without displacing renters?

Rent control; just as Prop 13 (adverse impacts in other areas aside) allows improving neighborhoods without displacing homeowners on limited incomes through property tax.

Of course, anything that prevents displacing renters will necessary produce some drag on financial incentives for local improvements. (Just as not displacing homeowners on fixed incomes does.)

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#138

Post by dmofp » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:45 PM UTC

susiecambria wrote: post #102

As a public policy and budget wonk, advocate, lobbyist, and five-year veteran of city government (Washington, DC), as well as a social worker by training, I LOVE the question and am stoked 1) by the responses and 2) by the number of responses. I am a firm believer in doing something. As others have said, get informed, get connected, and then get and stay active. This can be personal stuff or political stuff. It all n…

I really liked this. I struggle with the same question as OP so very interested.

What do you think stops people from doing something? Is it lack of information? Learned helplessness? What would help most in that moment when we think "I need to do something"?

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#139

Post by uberman » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:45 PM UTC

cactus2093 wrote: post #98

skrtskrt wrote: post #58

Fight for just housing/zoning policies and against NIMBYism Join orgs supporting the homeless and fighting against the criminalization of homelessness. Buy from locally-owned businesses that treat their employees well. Not the gentrifying upscale cafes and restaurants and boutiques

> Fight for just housing/zoning policies and against NIMBYism With you on that one. But this is a problem of successful, growing cities and it sounds like OP is in a city in the opposite situation that is lacking in economic opportunities. > Join orgs supporting the homeless and fighting against the criminalization of homelessness. When most people complain about homelessness, they're talking about the homeless on th…

I have to concur.

In general, gentrification is the clearest path to improving neighborhoods that have probably suffered as a result of "NIMBYism" elsewhere in a city.

Being opposed to gentrification is a form of "NIMBYism". Gentrification is not the enemy of affordable housing.

Re: Ask HN: As a person, what can I do to improve a city?

#140

Post by soul_grafitti » Fri, Nov 06, 2020, 5:46 PM UTC

There are a lot of good suggestions here. I will add recognizing that living in a city is about sharing.

I have lived in San Francisco for over twelve years and the most important thing I learned or realized is that living in a city is about sharing. I have to share with the other folks here. Walking and driving are two obvious examples. But we also share an aural space. Certainly with my neighbors but more generally too. I share the backyard with my building neighbors. I share the city services. We share the air we breath as you notice instantly walking near someone smoking. Outside of my home there is very little I can do without interaction with others around me. This is true generally but in a densely populated space, like a city, you can't avoid it. It's just the way it is.

The requirement that we share doesn't mean that everyone does so gracefully or respectfully. Myself included. Nonetheless I propose this is a fundamental personal step that contributes to better cities.