News

The Secret to Safer Communities: More Services UMD Study Finds Investing in Communities Over Policing Programs May Be More Effective

“A new University of Maryland study conducted in a neighboring Prince George’s County community suggests that creating safer Black and Latinx neighborhoods doesn’t require more policing, but more investment.

The research examined outcomes of a four-year crime reduction project in Langley Park, demonstrating that more streetlights, mental health services, youth outreach and public art are as important—and possibly more effective—at boosting community safety in immigrant neighborhoods than programs designed to build trust with local police.

The study by Associate Professor Willow Lung-Amam in the Urban Studies and Planning Program, doctoral candidate Nohely Alvarez and Howard University Professor Rodney Green was published this month in the Journal of Community Practice.”.
Journal Article:  Read here
Maryland Today Article: Read here
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Nick FinioDec 02No Comments

SBAN toolkit covered in the Diamondback

The Small Business Anti-Displacement Network’s new anti-displacement toolkit was covered by UMD’s Diamondback. Professor Willow Lung-Amam was interviewed for the article.
“The Small Business Anti-Displacement Network, an initiative founded by the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland, developed a toolkit last month that provides resources for small businesses affected by gentrification.

The toolkit outlines 34 policy and community-oriented solutions to cater to businesses from varying economic backgrounds, according to Dr. Willow Lung-Amam, an associate professor of urban studies and planning and director of community development for the National Center for Smart Growth.”

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Nick FinioNov 11No Comments

Prof. Eisenbach interviewed for Colorado Public Radio story

Ronit Eisenbach, an architect, artist and professor at University of Maryland who specializes in public art and placemaking, says “sense of place” is the idea that a space has a unique character and set of qualities.

“It’s defined by the spatial character, by the materials, by the colors, by the smells,” she said. “And our actions in those places and the actions of others often allow us to associate meaning with those places.”

She said public art can help shape a sense of place by contributing to an implicit or explicit sensory experience.

“We move through spaces with our bodies. All our senses are engaged,” she said. “We respond through our senses. That’s what hits us first. So maybe that’s the unspoken character of what makes a palace.”

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Nick FinioOct 07No Comments