CASE STUDIES
EXPLORE THE WORK THAT IS MOVING US TOWARD THIS SHARED VISION
the work to move our country forward is already happening
The Dare to Reimagine agenda showcases 50 policy wins and organizing efforts across 22 states and DC that are moving us towards a more just and equitable future.
You can explore by pillar, issue area, geography, or by searching for what you’re interested in here:
St. John’s Community-City Development
Austin, TX. A multi-year city effort to revitalize a historically Black neighborhood by centering resident priorities.
Building a Local Economy through Urban Agriculture
Chicago, IL. The North Side community, as a result of a 2011 zoning change, is expanding urban agriculture and farming to develop a healthy local economy, particularly for Black and Brown communities
Youth Voting in Local Elections
Takoma Park, MD. The city expanded the local franchise to young people ages 16 and 17, in an effort to support life-long voting habits, civic engagement, and accountability to youth voices in local issues.
Participatory Budgeting
New York, NY. The city runs a participatory budgeting process city wide for 33 of the city’s 50 districts, ensuring that resident preferences inform more than $50 million in capital expenditures annually.
Resident Bill of Rights
Detroit, MI. This charter revision seeks to center equity, survival, and quality of life, including water access, safety, recreation, and affordable housing.
Community-Driven Participatory Zoning
Chicago, IL. The city’s 35th ward utilized a participatory process to secure a zoning change to build a new development with 100 percent affordable housing.
Alternative Street Response
Portland, OR. The city established an alternative response unit for 911 calls related to homelessness and mental health to ensure residents receive support and services and reduce contact with police officers.
Banning Dollar Stores & Establishing a Healthy Neighborhood Overlay District
Oklahoma City, OK. The city passed a zoning overlay to ban small-box discount stores in underserved neighborhoods, effectively banning dollar stores in food deserts to help create healthier neighborhoods with access to fresh groceries.
Implementing Zero-Fare Transit
Spokane, WA. The city expanded eligibility for zero fare to increase transit access and use for low-income residents and those with disabilities.
Planning for Housing Affordability and Neighborhood Diversity
Durham, NC. An effort to fund affordable housing across the city to support mixed-income neighborhoods and prevent ongoing displacement from the downtown corridor.
100% Renewable Energy
Culver City, CA. The city joined a regional collective and met its 100 percent clean energy commitment in 2018.
Community Defined Public Safety
Brookline, MA. This community-driven process aims to reconceptualize public safety, centering the experiences of those most impacted by police and state violence.
Cite and Release to Cite and Divert
San Marcos, TX. The city passed an ordinance requiring that police officers serve low-level offenses with a citation instead of arrest and jail time. Some offenses will even qualify for some type of diversion instead of a citation. This would allow a person to fulfill some sort of program (such as community service), and once fulfilled their record remains clean.
Values-Based Food Procurement
New Haven, CT. The city used its food procurement policy to take important steps towards addressing climate change at the local level.
Building People Power Through a Community Benefits Agreement
Nashville, TN. Community leaders backed the city in an effort to establish a robust community benefits agreement as part of a stadium construction project.
Renter Protection Package
St. Paul, MN. passed a groundbreaking tenant protection package. The policies include just cause policies that specify reasons why a landlord may evict a tenant, a security deposit limit, tenant screening guidelines, tenant rights and responsibilities information, and advance notice of sale.
Minority and Women-Owned Businesses and Enterprises
DeSoto, TX. The city laid out new commitments to increase women and minority-owned businesses’ participation in city contracting and ability to secure those RFPs.
Homelessness Gross Receipts Tax
San Francisco, CA. The city’s Proposition C implemented a 0.5 percent gross receipts tax on companies that make more than $50 million a year to fund the city’s homeless relief efforts.
Removing Armed Officers from Traffic Enforcement
Los Angeles, CA. The city is exploring ways to remove law enforcement from traffic enforcement responsibilities and find alternative strategies.
Guaranteed Income
Stockton, CA. The city conducted a two-year pilot to increase economic stability by providing a monthly stipend of $500 for a group of residents in the city through a monthly stipend of $500; a group of social scientists documented the impacts of the regular guaranteed income to be published in the future.