New Updates on The Edge - 05/07/2014

New on The Edge

Message from Senior Leadership:
New Leadership in PD&R’s Innovation Shop
New Deputy Assistant Secretary Salin Geevarghese, of the Office of International and Philanthropic Innovation, introduces himself to The Edge community as he discusses his vision for the Office and shares his perspective from a career devoted to supporting equity and opportunity.

In Practice:
Providing a Transition to Independence in Clark County, Nevada
Two nonprofit organizations serving Cook County, Nevada have partnered to provide housing and supportive services to adults aged 18 to 25 who were recently homeless or in foster care. The 15-unit Crossings apartment building is an effective model for promoting independence and self-sufficiency among those it serves.

Policy Update:
Temporary Urbanism: Alternative Approaches to Vacant Land
In communities across the country, temporary interventions in the urban environment are becoming increasingly common as a way to put underutilized land banks to productive use. Researchers and practitioners are beginning to examine these interventions to better understand their temporary and longer-term effects.

Partner Report:
Evaluating the First Year of U.S.-Germany City Exchange Program for HUD Grantees
A new report from the German Marshall Fund of the United States explores the first year of the Dialogues for Change Initiative — a partnership between cities in the United States and Germany that aims to build local capacity for sustainable urban development. The peer-to-peer engagement at the Initiative’s core is presenting unique opportunities for knowledge transfer and sharing successful lessons from the field.