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

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

#71

Post by ianai »

Cory Booker as a city councilman did this in miniature. His book describes it. At one point he made his office the parking lot outside a troubled projects building - lots of crime and trafficking were reported there and he wanted to help. So while his office was there (under tents) crime was greatly diminished from the area. It’s at least an example like you’re looking to do.

If you had some money, I’d maybe look into building a multigenerational center.

The residents of Detroit have also done some things you could mimic. In the fallout of the 2007-8 Great Recession, the entire city saw huge desertion. The people who stayed saw the city becoming a ghost city all around them. There are probably things and ideas there to help you in your quest.

If I had infinite money though, I’d even consider doing seemingly hard to politically envision things like employing the locals en masse. Preferably it’d be in things like long term investment. Maybe you could bootstrap some local industry with long term sustainability. Simply giving people work that pays better than crime will get crime off the streets in large part.

One way of this would be to make a societal dormitory of sorts. Basically a large building where people can get just enough of a space to themselves to have a place to be. Have a cafeteria so you can benefit from economies of scale. Have things like a laundromat and garden for giving people things to do, further economies of scale, and healthy options. Give them maybe 20-100/week to figure themselves out. Have in house therapists, etc.

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

#72

Post by cj »

VLM wrote: post #60
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

That stuff is nice, but in the context of OPs original request, how would any of that lower the rape rate in OPs city? Or the murder rate?

My guess is that violence rates increase in areas without much economic opportunity (which also incentivizes illegal means of supporting oneself financially). If that’s the case, this seems like a sensible suggestion from the GP:

> Buy from locally-owned businesses that treat their employees well.

Similarly, is the rate of violence connected with the affordability / availability of decent housing?

If so, zoning / affordable housing initiatives as suggested by the GP may be relevant.

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

#73

Post by daveevad »

andor wrote: post #57
bpt3 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Automobiles (and their drivers) kill, maim, or injure significantly fewer people than intentionally aggressive individuals in major cities. For example, in 2017 there were 343 murders in Baltimore [0] (which I knew would be on the list before looking for one) vs. 38 fatalities due to car accidents [1]. Here's an example of a list: https://www.statista.com/statistics/217685/most-dangerous-ci... These lists are based o…

I think the point was that a street full of car traffic is much less liveable than a street full of cyclists and pedestrians. Cars are still dangerous and noisy which leads to a stressful atmosphere. Many hide in their cars as if they were tanks, afraid of connecting with anyone outside. What's needed instead is people coming together to form a community.

However during this pandemic, proximity has become a liability to the community.

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

#74

Post by impendia »

omarhaneef wrote: post #35
willmeyers wrote: post #8

Pick up litter around your block. Smile and wave to neighbors. Become active in and or donate to community projects. Spread a general sense of kindness and support to others near you. These are the smallest and easiest things you can do that'll have an impact on people.

I know someone who has a great position at a well known financial firm. He had the cops called on him twice (he ends up taking long conference calls in his car outside). The first time the cop was apologetic. The second time the same cop recognizes him and says, "Dude, you have got to get to know your neighbors. Pie goes a long way."

Wait, he was just taking phone calls in a parked car? Is there something objectionable with that?

If my neighbors called the police on me for that, my first thought wouldn't be to bake pie for them.

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

#75

Post by throwaway0a5e »

ianai wrote: post #71

Cory Booker as a city councilman did this in miniature. His book describes it. At one point he made his office the parking lot outside a troubled projects building - lots of crime and trafficking were reported there and he wanted to help. So while his office was there (under tents) crime was greatly diminished from the area. It’s at least an example like you’re looking to do. If you had some money, I’d maybe look int…

>So while his office was there (under tents) crime was greatly diminished from the area. It’s at least an example like you’re looking to do.

Having a politician who has the police at his beck and call set up shop there seems like it just displaces the problem instead of solving it but I guess if you scope your goal to the neighborhood it does solve it.

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

#76

Post by ed25519FUUU »

Igelau wrote: post #48
ed25519FUUU wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, provide basic income and then magically wave a wand over anything in finite supply to keep it from inflating in price?

> magically laws > wave a wand the guns that enforce the laws

Ask Venezuela how well their laws did at preventing inflation.

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

#77

Post by wyc »

If you're interested in helping New York City, you can volunteer your technical skills to solve meaningful problems there! It won't be the latest whiz-bang 5G Blockchain AI tech stack, but you'll have a shot at making a real difference. As cities further adopt open source approaches to technology infrastructure, these improvements will also benefit other cities.

https://www.usdigitalresponse.org/nycx-innovation-fellows/

Please DM me on Twitter (in my HN profile) if you have questions. I can help to answer or find someone who can.

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

#80

Post by mikestew »

impendia wrote: post #74
omarhaneef wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know someone who has a great position at a well known financial firm. He had the cops called on him twice (he ends up taking long conference calls in his car outside). The first time the cop was apologetic. The second time the same cop recognizes him and says, "Dude, you have got to get to know your neighbors. Pie goes a long way."

Wait, he was just taking phone calls in a parked car? Is there something objectionable with that? If my neighbors called the police on me for that, my first thought wouldn't be to bake pie for them.

If he was anything like the ones that sit in their car in my neighborhood, he probably also kept the car running. I wouldn’t call the cops, but I’ve pecked on a few windows asking them to turn it off. (Plus, I’d be genuinely shocked if a Redmond, WA cop actually showed up for something that didn’t involve blood or gunshots.)
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