Local governments are facing many challenges during this pandemic. Helping residents shelter safely at home, protecting essential workers, and looming budget cuts are at the forefront. The impact of stay at home orders has further enhanced the reliance on our homes....
Communities
Aging Infrastructure: A Guide to Educating and Protecting Homeowners
by Dennis Lyon | Apr 1, 2020
Do your residents know about the potential problem lurking beneath their lawns? Or are they unaware of the possibility their service lines could fail and cost them thousands of dollars in repairs? As a municipal official, you know the homeowner is responsible for the...
Coronavirus Presents Challenge to Municipal Officials
by Bill Eller | Mar 17, 2020
Federal health officials have left it up to state and local officials on what measures will be used to prevent or control a coronavirus outbreak in their communities. “Local and state governments should begin thinking about what this might look like for them,” Dr....
Millennials Buying Housing Face Difficulties Finding Affordable Homes
by Christie Myers | Dec 5, 2019
Christie Myers, Managing Director of Opportunity Dallas, addresses the affordable housing challenges of Millennials. Felicia’s story isn’t unique, but her determination, despite the hand she’s been dealt, is admirable. A Constellation of Rising Stars Seven years ago,...
What’s Behind the Raw Water Trend?
by Bill Eller | Nov 6, 2019
“Raw,” or “live” water has become trendy, especially in California and New England, and it’s dangerous. Raw water startups are popping up around the country, and people are sharing the locations of springs where raw water can be obtained in areas that don’t have...
Community Garden Saved a Neighborhood and May Save an Entire City
by Bill Eller | Oct 22, 2019
Christie Myers, Managing Director of Opportunity Dallas, shares the story of a public-private partnership to help address homelessness, including a community garden. Segregated since the Jim Crow era, Dallas’ Bonton neighborhood, consisting of almost solely...
Take Over Your Block: An Interview With Better Block Foundation
by Bill Eller | Jul 23, 2019
The latest NLC housing report addresses the importance of neighborhood revitalization. Christie Myers, Managing Director of Opportunity Dallas, interviewed Krista Nightengale, Managing Director of Better Block Foundation, about the great work they are doing to build...
National League of Cities (NLC) 2019 Housing Report
by Bill Eller | Jul 19, 2019
Earlier this month the National League of Cities (NLC) released a comprehensive affordable housing report entitled "Homeward Bound: The Road to Affordable Housing" Rising home prices and stagnant wages have put tremendous strain on housing markets across the country....
Encourage Water Conservation with These Four Tools
by Bill Eller | Jul 2, 2019
Water seems ubiquitous – we turn on the tap, and it’s there. However, less than two percent of water on the planet is freshwater, and only 1 percent is available as drinking water – the rest is frozen. The United Nations predicts that two-thirds of the world...
What Royalty Payments Can Do For Your City
by bstickle | Jun 26, 2019
Partnering with the NLC Service Line Warranty Program (previously Utility Service Partners or USP) by HomeServe educates homeowners about their service line responsibilities and enhances their peace of mind. As part of the partnership, municipalities can receive...
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Recent Posts
Social Media: Friend or Foe
Social media implications, at the recent Illinois Rural Water Conference, was listed as one of the many challenges utilities currently face and will continue to face over the next 10 years. An MIT study concluded that falsehoods are 70% more likely to be shared with...
Lead Service Line Replacement Programs Made More Complex by Incomplete Data
We don’t know how many lead service lines remain in service, and estimates vary by the millions. The American Water Works Association estimated that there are more than 6 million lead service lines across the country, but other sources put the number closer to 9...
Inflation a Financial Shock to the System for LMI Homeowners
Inflation has soared higher than any point in the last four decades, reaching 7.5 percent and spurred by supply-chain issues. The Labor Department announced that the consumer-price index, a measurement of the consumer cost of goods and services, has reached its...