Pittsburgh

commentary

Other Voices: Striking Rates of Food Insecurity in the Hill District and Homewood

The number of Americans experiencing food insecurity has increased since the pandemic began. And rates are higher among African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Proactive and aggressive policy actions could help reduce the inequities in places like Pittsburgh's Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz

commentary

In Pittsburgh: Feeding the Needy, and Protecting Workers on the Front Lines of the Pandemic

Access to food could be critical to getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders and policymakers may find themselves having to devote new resources to make sure all citizens have access to food and to protect those on the front lines.

Andrea Richardson @ASRichardson3, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz

blog

White Supremacist Terrorism, Wildfires, the Dark Web: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on violent white supremacy, power outages to prevent wildfires, how to catch criminals on the dark web, and more.

commentary

One Year After Tree of Life, We Still Aren't Talking Enough About Violent White Supremacy

In the year since a gunman killed 11 worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue, the conversation about white supremacy has grown louder. But the United States still has a long way to go in dealing with this threat.

Colin P. Clarke

blog

DMZ Meeting, Students with Disabilities, Iran: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on Trump's meeting with Kim Jong Un, supporting students with disabilities, the flawed logic of a proportional response in Iran, and more.

essay

How Pittsburgh Is Addressing Social and Economic Disparities

Pittsburgh has been taking a hard look at race, wealth, and opportunity. In partnership with RAND, the city has run and published its numbers on subjects ranging from police contacts to business ownership to graduation rates as part of a commitment to do better.

blog

NATO's 70th Anniversary, Food Deserts, Teachers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on effective teachers, NATO's 70th anniversary, food deserts, and more.

commentary

Pittsburgh's Hill District Is Losing More Than a Supermarket

When the Shop 'n Save in Pittsburgh's Hill District closed its doors for good, residents lost the ability to go to a supermarket near their homes. But they also lost something less tangible: a symbol of hope, opportunity, and change for their neighborhood.

Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz, La'Vette Wagner

blog

Trump-Kim Summit, Climate Change, Zarif: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the Trump-Kim summit, how cities can prepare for climate change, Mohammad Javad Zarif's resignation, and more.

essay

Resilience and Adaptation Strategies Can Address the Impacts of Climate Change

With climate change already generating storms, heat waves, and droughts beyond historical norms, local governments need to do more to prepare. A decisionmaking framework developed by RAND allows communities to stress-test ideas, weigh the trade-offs, and plan for a range of possible futures.

blog

Tree of Life, Social Media, Korea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, countering Russian social media influence, how Korea could unify, and more.

commentary

Getting the Lead Out of Pittsburgh's Water

Without an aggressive long-term strategy for replacing service lines, and collaboration among the water authority, public officials, and residents, lead in Pittsburgh's water will persist.

Jordan R. Fischbach, Linnea Warren May @LinneaKWMay

blog

Pittsburgh's Annual Day of Giving

All funds that RAND raises on September 21 through Pittsburgh's Day of Giving will be devoted to RAND's work taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham

commentary

Pittsburgh Schools Are Making Progress

Pittsburgh Public Schools can reach new levels of excellence if its leadership boldly and wisely chooses initiatives that will serve all children and if it uses data to decide which initiatives should continue.

John Engberg

commentary

Helping Pittsburgh Stay on the Cutting Edge of Education Innovation

Local organizations, educators, and leaders are creating remarkable learning experiences for Pittsburgh's young people, and other cities around the country are striving to replicate their innovations.

John F. Pane @JohnFPane, Laura S. Hamilton

blog

In Pittsburgh, a Day of Giving

All funds that RAND raises on May 3 through Pittsburgh's Day of Giving will be devoted to RAND's work taking place in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham

essay

The Surprising Ways That a Supermarket Changed a Food Desert

The arrival of a new grocery store in a 'food desert' neighborhood delivered some obvious health benefits. But the benefits had nothing to do with whether the residents shopped there.

blog

Examining Police, Community Relations

The “Strengthening Police-Community Trust” panel held Wednesday at RAND's Pittsburgh offices felt ripped from the headlines, and from the outset the discussion was focused on what the moderator called “the intersection between the community and the police.”

commentary

Building the Best Pittsburgh Possible

Pittsburgh's journey toward its bright future has only just begun. To realize its potential, the city needs a vision as well as an innovative, inclusive, and data-driven approach to community development.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham

commentary

Location, Location, Location: Does the Food Desert Narrative Hold Up?

There's little rigorous evidence to support the notion that 'food deserts' are driving the U.S. obesity epidemic. But this narrative has nearly become conventional wisdom. In response, stakeholders have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into bringing supermarkets to these neighborhoods.

Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar, Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz

commentary

Here's to Our Health

Atop the new mayor's agenda should be improving the health and well-being of Pittsburgh residents. With an unassailable electoral mandate in hand, Mr. Peduto is positioned to take bold steps. And the best way to do that is by applying scientific and medical evidence to shape an integrated, citywide, health-policy framework.

Tamara Dubowitz @TamaraDubowitz, Anita Chandra, et al.

commentary

School Principals Respond to Performance-Based Evaluation System

It's fair to say the program turned out to be an important step for the district in the context of its overall reform plan considering how important high-quality school leadership is for improving teaching and learning, write Laura Hamilton and John Engberg.

Laura S. Hamilton, John Engberg

commentary

The Upside of Snowmageddon

The city's lame response shows, yet again, why we need more cooperation among local governments.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham, Stuart S. Olmsted, et al.

commentary

Getting to Know Pittsburgh: The City Has Embraced Me ... and Now the World?

In the year since I moved to Pittsburgh from Southern California, it's become clear that I unwittingly chose the perfect moment in history to come here, writes Susan Everingham.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham

commentary

Public Libraries Are Needed Now More Than Ever

What Pittsburgh attraction provides $3 of economic output for every public dollar invested? The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. If you find this factoid unlikely, it is because the research that discovered it received an astounding lack of attention, write Susan Everingham and Sally Sleeper.

Susan M. Sohler Everingham, Sally Sleeper

commentary

RAND Finds Pittsburgh Grand; Research Nonprofit Marks 6 Years With New Offices and Commitment to Make the City and Region Better

Published commentary by RAND staff: RAND Finds Pittsburgh Grand; Research Nonprofit Marks 6 Years With New Offices and Commitment to Make the City and Region Better, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

James A. Thomson @thomson0145, Barry Balmat

commentary

Forum: Leaner Learning

Published commentary by RAND staff: Forum: Leaner Learning in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Brian Gill

commentary

The Falling Dollar: A Silver Lining for Pittsburgh

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Barry Balmat, Keith Crane

commentary

Regional Cooperation Is Not Capitulation

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Sally Sleeper

commentary

Parents of Schoolchildren: Start Your Information Engines

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Brian Gill, Laura S. Hamilton

commentary

Downtown is a Pittsburgh Neighborhood

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Rachel Rue

commentary

Quality, Not Quantity

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis

commentary

The Bright Lights in Pittsburgh's Future

Published commentary by RAND staff.

Barry Balmat, Peter A. Morrison