Ideas We Should Steal: Treat Homelessness as a Health Issue

While the City and advocates continue negotiations over the homeless encampment on the Parkway, Denver and New Jersey demonstrate some much-needed new thinking

By Diana Lind

Ideas We Should Steal: Police as Guardians Not Warriors

Critical thinking, empathy and kindness are saving lives from Scotland to Florida. Why not in Philly?

By Jessica Blatt Press

Ideas We Should Steal: Open Checkbook

Cities like New York and Pittsburgh allow the public to view every local government expenditure online. City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart wants to make that happen here, too

By Andy Metzger

I Am Because We Are

The Citizen’s 2020 Jeremy Nowak Urban Innovation Award will go to a program fighting gun violence and incarceration through basketball. Here, one of the organizers explains what it means to him—and for young black men in Philly

By Aaron Crump

Ideas We Should Steal: Fighting Domestic Abuse During Covid-19

The pandemic has survivors of domestic violence trapped at home with their abusers. France, Spain and others have figured out how to reach them

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

Ideas We Should Steal: Ethical Policing

The New Orleans Police Department has been remade thanks to an innovative peer intervention program. Can the Philly PD undergo a similar culture change?

By Larry Platt

Ideas We Should Steal: Mailing Ballots to Every Voter

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered ballots be sent to all his state’s registered voters for the general election. Why don’t we do that here?

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

Ideas We Should Steal: Help for Renters and Landlords

A New Jersey landlord waived the rent for his tenants over the next three months—something most property owners probably can’t afford. How can both sides get relief?