Redeveloping the slums of Rio de Janeiro has been on the city's agenda for decades. Despite the many challenges, some new efforts seem to be paying off.
"Sao Paulo government resettled 120 poor families to at the outskirts of the city in 1971. And unexpectedly this area fast became a colony of migrant persons. More and more wooden houses form a 100-square-meter slum with 125,000 living there. Since 2005, the Sao Paulo government has invested 135 million Real (about 76.7 million US dollars) to reconstruct the district.
They built municipal infrastructures, public schools and hospitals. Some roads are even paved with asphalt. Around 1,700 low-cost houses benefited many poor families. The mayor of Sao Paulo Gilberto Kassab said 'this district is no longer a slum but a well-organized city community.'"
And as the city prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, officials at the local and federal level are hoping to make big strides in reducing extreme poverty in this and other urban areas within the decade.
FULL STORY: Brazil struggles to transform slums into new communities
Rio de Janeiro Residents Protest Olympics Projects
As the city of Rio de Janeiro prepares to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, residents there say many of the projects underway are violating their rights.
Rio's Slums to See Massive Redesign
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, officials in Rio de Janeiro are taking on a massive upgrade project in the city's slums.
Rio's Pricey Sky Gondola Goes Full Stop
The sky gondola system built prior to the Rio Olympics has ground to a halt, leaving residents of the city's favelas with little to show for such a grand investment in infrastructure.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service