Metro Matters Podcast

In the wake of the recent midterm elections, many have expressed concern about political gridlock at the federal level. But in his second Metro Matters interview, Bruce Katz, Vice President and Director of the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, tells Next American City Editor-at-Large Diana Lind that there is potential for innovation at the state and metro levels. Katz hopes to see the emergence of a “pragmatic caucus of governors”—an informal coalition of state and metro leaders who will recognize that a place-based, centrist course to governance can lead metro areas into a more secure future. Katz points to notable examples of even the most conservative states voting for spending on infrastructure projects; people will invest in things, he says, that they know will build the future. He also expresses hope that the incoming Congress will create a national infrastructure bank – but adds that there is too much emphasis on tax structure, and not enough on deliberate strategies that build off the strengths of a particular place. Finally, he calls for a “radical commitment” to the education of those who will be entering the workforce in coming years, especially minorities. Listen to the podcast, and don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you won’t miss an episode.

During the housing boom, low-income families were drawn to the suburbs by construction and service jobs, as well as the opportunity to have their own homes. Then the recession hit, and recent data show that of the massive increase in the number of American poor in 2009, two-thirds occurred in suburban areas. In this episode of the Metro Matters podcast, Next American City Editor-at-Large Diana Lind speaks with Elizabeth Kneebone, a Senior Research Associate at the Brookings Institution, whose ongoing work assesses the scale and nature of suburban poverty. Joining them is Scott Allard, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings. His recent book Out of Reach: Place, Poverty and the New American Welfare State looks at how where people live affects the social services available to them, and argues that our current safety-net system is inadequate. Together, these experts discuss equitable access to services, a current lag in private resources and the ongoing perception problem that poverty is strictly an urban issue. Listen to the podcast, and don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode.

Just 50 years ago, the United States had the world’s best transportation infrastructure, leading the way in innovation and construction. Now, as China and other countries are developing Maglev trains, world-class airports and extensive subway systems, the U.S. is struggling to even repair cracked pavement. Still, there are signs that U.S. is finally moving forward again. Next American City Editor-at-Large Diana Lind talks with Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Robert Puentes about President Obama’s recently announced plan to rebuild and modernize roads and railways, the potential to create new investment tools to facilitate national- and regional-level thinking in infrastructure investment, and the likelihood of a gas tax. Plus: promising transit investments in Denver and Salt Lake City; what the ordinary citizen can do to advocate for transit spending, and how the recession just may end up being the fuel for innovation.

In the latest edition of the Metro Matters podcast, Next American City Editor-at-Large Diana Lind interviews the Brookings Institution’s Amy Liu, who discusses the transformations ongoing in New Orleans five years after Katrina. Pointing to evidence gathered in the New Orleans Index, co-created by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program and the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, Liu shares many promising developments, including the city’s bold reform of its public schools and healthcare system, and the increasing presence and capacity of nonprofits and community organizations. But she also mentions a number of remaining challenges, including the city’s difficulties in transforming its economy, lagging educational attainment and the ongoing effects of the oil spill. Listen to the podcast, and don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode.

A perennial concern for Congress, immigration has come to the forefront as a major domestic policy issue in the past few weeks. Next American City talked with Audrey Singer of the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program about immigration reform on the very day the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Arizona, calling its new immigration policies unconstitutional. Listen to Next American City’s editor in chief Diana Lind talk with Singer about this turning point in the immigration debate, what comprehensive reform might look like and how immigration affects American metro areas. And don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode.

Next American City talks with Mark Muro of the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program about the catastrophe in the Gulf Coast — and what it may mean for U.S. energy policy. Could the oil spill mean Congress is turning to alternative energy? How can the U.S. better fund “clean energy”? And what could better climate legislation mean for America’s metros? Listen to the podcast to find out. And don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode.

The latest episode of Metro Matters concerns the timely issue of the 2010 Census. What exactly will those 10 questions on the Census form be used for? How do cities benefit from the Census, versus rural areas? And how does the Census help fight crime, situate businesses and affect public policy? Listen to the podcast to find out. And don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode. Background reading: Latinos to Boycott the Census? The Census and Gentrification Ten Uneasy Questions

In this month’s Metro Matters, Next American City’s Editor in Chief Diana Lind talks with Brookings Senior Research Analyst Elizabeth Kneebone about the increasing suburbanization of poverty. Contrary to popular belief, suburbs are now home to the largest and fastest growing poor population in the country. Why is this happening and who are the suburban poor? Listen to this month’s podcast to find out. And don’t forget to subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes so you’ll never miss an episode.

In the second episode of Metro Matters, Next American City talks with Bruce Katz, co-founder and vice president of Brookings’ Metropolitan Policy Program, about the next economy for the United States. In a far-ranging conversation, Katz serves up a vision for a low-carbon, innovation-fueled economy, and explains why the Great Lakes Region can once again be the leader of the country’s export industry. With talking points on China, the Tea Party, and Detroit, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Subscribe to Metro Matters in iTunes

For the inaugural edition of Metro Matters, Next American City’s Editor in Chief, Diana Lind, talks with Alan Berube of the Brookings Institution about the Great Recession. Which cities have recovered best from the economic downturn? What’s next for the urban economy? And what should President Obama do to help out hurting metros? Listen to Metro Matters and find out—and tell us what you think about the program. We’re collecting audience feedback at 646-402-5683 x 59680.

In this month’s Metro Matters podcast, Next American City’s Diana Lind interviews Brookings’ Alan Berube and London School of Economics’ Philipp Rode about their joint report, “Global MetroMonitor: The Path to Economic Recovery.” In the conversation, Berube and Rode discuss why cities like Istanbul and Lima rode the recession to financial reward while many cities in the United States still struggled to stay afloat.  The two experts discuss how up-and-coming metros in China and India remain less wealthy than metros in Europe and North America, but are growing as hubs for a burgeoning middle class. Stressing the “relative performance” of these urban areas, Berube and Rode point to “a world growing closer together.” Listen to the podcast for details on the global green economy, the most competitive American metros and strategies for Western cities to become competitive in the future global economy.

Open Cities Panel: New Media and Mass Transportation - Original Audio Presenter:  Katie Drennen, Transportation for America Panelists: David Kuehn,  Federal Highway Exploratory Advanced Research Program; Rolf Pendall, Urban Institute; Michael Replogie, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy; Bill Schrier, City of Seattle.