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Full-Text Articles in Urban Studies and Planning
How To Keep Teachers In R.I., Chester Smolski
How To Keep Teachers In R.I., Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Should Providence city employees be forced to live in the city? The Home Rule Charter, adopted five years ago, requires them to do so. The executive secretary of the Providence Teachers' Union states that this requirement should not apply to teachers. But, is dropping the residency requirement the answer to the problem of finding adequate numbers of substitute and full-time teachers?"
As The Population Ages, Housing Needs Change, Chester Smolski
As The Population Ages, Housing Needs Change, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The housing needs for all of us change over time, depending on one's position in the life cycle. The single person needs only a room, young marrieds settle for a rented apartment, and the family with children needs more space, both inside and out. Children grow up and still more space is needed, then the children leave the nest. Their parents become "empty nesters." A spouse dies and leaves a person single again and often dependent on others. And then, perhaps, a nursing home becomes a necessity before the person passes on."
Canada Teaches Some Simple Lessons, Chester Smolski
Canada Teaches Some Simple Lessons, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It's an odd person who doesn't marvel at the cities of Canada on his or her return from a visit to our neighbor to the north. Whether this be a trip to Canada's largest city of Montreal or to a Providence-sized Quebec City, people speak of the cleanliness, the safety, the beauty, the good public transport and the relaxed way of living. What accounts for the livability of these urban centers? And is there something that we can learn from the Canadians that we can use in our own cities?"
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Residency And The Charter, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When Providence voters approved a home rule charter in 1980, they took a major step forward in choosing their own destiny, rather than relying on the General Assembly to approve many of their actions. To implement the resulting changes, the date for full compliance of the charter was set at 1983. And since that time, newly hired city workers are required to live in Providence."
Taking Steps To Solve The Country's Housing Woes, Chester Smolski
Taking Steps To Solve The Country's Housing Woes, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The problems of housing in today's America force us to look back almost a quarter of a century in time to the Great Society era, for it was during this period that some of the most progressive and far-reaching housing legislation in this nation was enacted."
Helping Communities Determine Development, Chester Smolski
Helping Communities Determine Development, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The word uppermost in the minds of many communities these days is 'development,' a process that manifests itself on the land in the form of the built environment. Alarmed at the speed with which land is being used--and often abused--communities are being faced with touch decisions on how to cope with development, either by directing it, managing it or even stopping it."
Hitting The Untapped International Tourist Market, Chester Smolski
Hitting The Untapped International Tourist Market, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is the third-largest retailing operation in the nation with approximately five million employees. In New England it generates more than $620 million of state and local taxes annually. And in Rhode Island in 1986, it is estimated that $800 million was spent in this 'invisible industry.'"
Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski
Tourism's Full Potential Waiting In Wings For R.I., Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Question: What industry in this country involves 8 million consumers daily, employs between 4 and 6 million people directly, generates nearly $200 billion in annual expenditures and is our second largest retailing activity? If you answered tourism, you are correct."
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
The Stimulus Of City Success Stories, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"When George Voinovich, mayor of this city, spoke to the 300 persons gathered from all parts of this country to discuss successes in cities, he had the undivided attention of the audience. After all, this was the man who brought the city back from the brink of bankruptcy and has now given it clear direction and a solid financial base."
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Porter And Rouse--Believers In Cities And Opportunities, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"His name may not be familiar, but it should be. He helped to originate and implement the Marshall Plan, this nation's effort to help European recovery in the post-war years. Throughout his long and distinguished career he touched many bases as editor and publisher of a trade newspaper, U.S.diplomat in several European cities and successful businessman and president of his own firm. Upon retirement several years ago, he developed an interest in cities, wrote a book about them, and four years ago at an age when many have packed it in, became director of the Urban Recovery Project at the …
Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges.
Potential Of A Failing Neighborhood, Chester Smolskirevitalize Olneyville Plan By State Colleges.
Smolski Texts
"Developing neighborhood pride is one of the keys to a healthy neighborhood and a healthy city. In a city that is losing population and jobs, that is faced with increasing numbers of abandoned houses and vacant lots, that has the highest equalized tax rate (tax rate and assessment rate combined) in the state, and that has unique needs because of the large numbers of elderly, minority and poor residents, maintaining strong neighborhoods is a difficult task. Yet, though the task may be difficult, there is hope and there is potential for declining neighborhoods to revitalize themselves. This was the message …
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Missed Opportunity In S. Kingston, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"They were well dressed, although informally. They came with their spouses. They were articulate, educated, and generally did not raise their voices. They looked like solid middle-class Americans--homemakers, civic-minded, and concerned citizens, so it was difficult to understand their reaction to the proposed housing development."
Some Good Things Are Happening, Chester Smolski
Some Good Things Are Happening, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It is easy to be critical and to single out the wrongs of a society: the reporting of such wrongs is what sells newspapers. Too often the good things that happen are not recognized nor deemed newsworthy, and the result is they go unnoticed. So it was more than refreshing to read recently in these papers about some very positive actions on the part of a private citizen, a small business, and yes, even a politician--actions that are helping to make our communities better places in which to live."
Providence Needs An Effective 'Land Bank' Policy, Chester Smolski
Providence Needs An Effective 'Land Bank' Policy, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Recent disclosures on the purchase of vacant lots in Providence by certain city officals have raised two serious questions, only one of which has been addressed."
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Providence Home Rule, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The opposition bumper stickers have already appeared. In bright fluorescent colors to catch the unsuspecting eye, the message is loud and clear--'Reject Home Rule Charter.' Why should there be this opposition, and who are the people against this progressive move toward better local government?"
Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski
Rr Relocation: Avoiding Another Boondoggle, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The lengthy process to examine the relocation of the railroad station and tracks in downtown Providence continues."
Ways To Offset High Interest, Rising Cost Of Housing, Chester Smolski
Ways To Offset High Interest, Rising Cost Of Housing, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Little noted by the general public, the recent decision by the Federal Reserve Board to make credit more costly and less easily available is having a marked impact on that same public, especially in the area of housing."
Waste, Abuse Assure Changes In Section 8 Housing, Chester Smolski
Waste, Abuse Assure Changes In Section 8 Housing, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The series of articles and subsequent editorials on the Section 8 program that appeared in these papers have drawn several angry responses to the editor from residents of this government-assisted housing. Typical is the following: 'When something worthwhile is being done for the handicapped and elderly in Rhode Island, why do you do your best to kill it?...If the Section 8 program is hurt in any way because of your articles, you can sit back and laugh while 1,700 future applicants for housing are crying.'"
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
The Local Planning Boards Miss An Opportunity, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"Planning boards in the communities of the state have the responsibility to study, advise and recommend strategies and policies for the growth and development of their respective cities and towns. These appointed members frequently have no background on such matters and must often make decisions on which they have little understanding. This is particularly true in areas of housing where PUD, PURD, Condo, Co-op, zero lot line zoning, and a host of other acronyms and concepts sometimes defy comprehension."
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Questions Raised On Railroad Location, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"A second public hearing on the proposed relocation of the railroad station and tracks in Providence was held on October 25 in state capitol. Approximately 40 people were in attendance: most of whom were from Providence; most of whom raised substantive questions about the proposed relocation; and most of whom were opposed to it."
Sharing Ideas For A Better City, Chester Smolski
Sharing Ideas For A Better City, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It was billed as 'Rebuilding the Medium-Sized North American City,' and representatives from nine cities throughout this country and Canada assembled in Providence to discuss ideas, ingredients, processes, and problems related to restoring the physical fabric of the city."
Downtown Plan Needed For Future Growth, Chester Smolski
Downtown Plan Needed For Future Growth, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It appears that the Providence downtown is finally turning the corner. A proposal to beautify the entrance into the city center from Route 95 with trees, flags, parks, art work and new illumination has been submitted to the Providence Redevelopment Authority. This turn to aesthetics, coming on the heels of considerable physical improvement of roads and buildings accomplished and in progress, is an indication that downtown interests recognize the lack of an attractive city 'gateway' and want to do something about it. This is decidedly a praiseworthy action on the part of the private sector."
New Federal Initiatives For City Revitalization, Chester Smolski
New Federal Initiatives For City Revitalization, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"'We have never really had a comprehensive urban policy in this country...and in the absence of understanding and coordinated assistance among government leaders, many of our cities are caught in a vicious cycle, a downward spiral that can only be broken by new attitudes, new initiatives, and a new partnership.'"
Housing Rehabilitation Working In Hoboken, Chester Smolski
Housing Rehabilitation Working In Hoboken, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"One may not believe the argument but George Kohn, executive vice president of Applied Housing Associates, makes an interesting point. His business is housing, and he raises the question of where one should live--Manhattan or Hoboken. Why live on Manhattan's West Side, he asks, and pay $1,000 a month to wake each morning and view the flat, industrial ad boring New Jersey landscape across the Hudson? Why not live in Hoboken, at a $250 monthly rental, and view the fantastic, and only one like it in the world, Manhattan skyline to the east? Thirty cents and a 12-minute PATH subway …
Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski
Momentous Decision: Capital Center Project, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It may very well be the most important decision facing Providence in this century; it would provide new commercial space approximately one and one-half times that found in the present downtown; it would remove black and ugly 'dead' space (parking) from the foot of the state Capitol and replace it with acres of greenery and enhanced riverfront; it would provide better access into the downtown and facilitate the east-west flow of traffic; it would drastically alter the focus of the downtown; and it would greatly increase the tax base of the capital city. The Capital Center Project, with its proposed …
Housing Program That Suffers From Too Much Success, Chester Smolski
Housing Program That Suffers From Too Much Success, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"One of the strengths of this country lies in the large number of people who own and occupy their own homes. In 1970, 63 percent of Americans were classed as owner-occupiers (in Rhode Island the figure was 58 percent), and that number has grown to approximately 65 percent today."
Ah, Toronto, You Care About People!, Chester Smolski
Ah, Toronto, You Care About People!, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"They had a band winter here this year and the sunshine and warmer temperatures of Spring did not arrive until April 17. Spring is called a myth here because it comes so late, yet even with severe and long winters there is not one single pothole to be found in the well-maintained streets of the downtown. (Would that Providence could say as much!) This is just one of the many unusual aspects of Canada's largest city, a city decidedly different from those in the U.S. Toronto also offers proof that cities can work, that they have a future, that people …
Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski
Role For Business Leaders In A Cleaner Downtown, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"The recent sales promotion by the Providence Intown Merchants Association proved quite successful. Five-cent bus rides and bargain sales generated considerable business, especially on Saturday, normally a quiet day for retail sales in the downtown. This well illustrates what is possible when salesmanship and cooperation among downtown merchants are used to full advantage."
Stimulus For R.I. Housing, Chester Smolski
Stimulus For R.I. Housing, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"It was the single largest bond issue in the state and one of the largest in the nation. The Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation (HMFC) has sold $163 million of tax-free bonds, $142 million of which will be made available at below market interest rates to persons with annual incomes up to $30,000, to buy homes in Rhode Island. This will have a sizable impact on the local real estate market and increase housing opportunities for many prospective home buyers."
State-Supported Urban Policy Vital For Rhode Island, Chester Smolski
State-Supported Urban Policy Vital For Rhode Island, Chester Smolski
Smolski Texts
"For the first time in this country's history there is now a national urban policy, a statement of objectives that need to be implemented if this nation's cities are to survive and subsequently prosper."