Ideas We Should Steal

Free Food at the Free Library

A longtime university president suggests the city’s library system follow Chicago and Baltimore, and add food pantries to its community services

By Elaine Maimon

Lessons in Resistance for Philadelphia from Minneapolis

What ideas can Philly steal from the years-old protest movement in the Minnesota city?

By Bradford Pearson
The New Urban Order

Would You Move for Built-in Community?

A program that pays people to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma has grown the city’s population and quadrupled its investment. Is this an idea Philly should steal?

By Diana Lind
Ideas We Should Steal

Keep Philly Renters from Drowning in Junk Fees

Undisclosed in rental leases, add-on costs threaten to upend affordable housing. Seattle and other cities have begun to put a stop to the practice

By Cristian Salazar
Ideas We Should Steal

Fund Reproductive Care

At a time when Washington, D.C. is in hot debate over the Affordable Care Act, Maryland is using an ACA provision to fund safe, legal abortions for Medicaid recipients — without costing taxpayers. Should Pennsylvania follow suit?

By Courtney DuChene
RECAP

What We Learned at Ideas We Should Steal Festival

The 8th annual event presented by Comcast NBCUniversal had solutions to trash, potholes, affordable housing, politics, economic development and more.

By Malcolm Burnley and Courtney DuChene
The New Urban Order

States — Not Cities — Are Solving The Housing Crisis

Ideas from around the country that Pennsylvania should steal to create more homes for more people

By Diana Lind
How To Really Run A City

A Job, a Hospital, A Park — All Within 15 Minutes

By J.P. Romney
Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2025

How Women’s Sports Can Grow a City

Philadelphia Sisters Co-Founder Alex Niedbalski-Sykes joins former Washington Commanders President and current Project Level Managing Director Jason Wright to talk about what the WNBA, NWSL and more women’s pro teams could do for Philly on November 14

By Courtney DuChene
Ideas We Should Steal

Schools of Civic Thought

15 universities in 10 states — including Yale and University of Texas — have launched programs that focus on thinking and citizenship. We could use more of that here, too

By Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey