Governance

FEMA Deputy Administrator Rich Serino discusses resilience in San Francisco and the cities growing role in disaster mitigation throughout the United States.

Nicky Wagner on recovery in Christchurch from NENtv on Vimeo. Join National Member of Parliament Nicky Wagner as she discusses the recovery of Christchurch New Zealand after a series of devestating earthquakes.

San Francisco’s Policy Thumb Gets Greener By Isabel Wade & Eli Zigas On a spring morning last week, Mayor Ed Lee signed a bill that places San Francisco at the forefront of major cities supporting urban agriculture.  The law, which changes the city’s zoning code, was the culmination of a year of collaboration between the Mayor, Supervisor David Chiu, the San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance and supporters from across the city. The [...]

The San Francisco Department of Public Works’s Deputy Director, Mohammed Nuru, was awarded the Most Empowering City Employee Award for his dedication to San Francisco’s neighborhoods and years of work in preserving and maintaining San Francisco’s urban space. “Mr. Nuru is the go-to person in the City of SF for infrastructure projects. If you need a fence, sign or bus stop fix, Mr. Nuru can help you get it done,” [...]

Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced the winners of the Community Challenge Grant Program (CCG), which provides matching grants to local residents, businesses, non-profits and other community groups to make physical improvements to their neighborhoods. The CCG Program has awarded 28 grants totaling $577,656. The bulk of the CCG awards continue to be for permeable landscaping, public artwork, graffiti/litter abatement, community gardens and gathering spaces, equitably covering all areas of the [...]

I had the honor of being in New Orleans during the days that led up to the 5th anniversary of one of America’s great man-made disasters. It’s important to know that folks in this great town don’t blame the hurricane that struck with such vengeance, but rather the under-engineered levees that ringed the neighborhoods that buckled in response to the surge of water they were designed to handle. Out of [...]

Documentary filmmaker S. Leo Chiang discusses the role of community in a post disaster environment and his experience in filming his latest documentary; A Village Called Versailles. The film chronicles the Vietnamese communities struggle in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina had devastated their homes. Their story shows the strength and importance of community in the effort to rebuild after a disaster.   Download this episode (right click and save) Show [...]

Developing a consensus amongst neighborhood organizations is vital if they wish to succeed.  Professor and long time community organizer Jim Diers discusses his past work in the Seattle Office of Neighborhoods, the incentives of strong planning and how he’s bringing a back bone to the Democratic party. Download this episode (right click and save)Show Information Guest: Jim Diers, Professor, University of Washington Related Event: Santa Rosa Community Summit Related Organizations: Seattle [...]

As a San Francisco resident and the Deputy Director for Operations at SF Department of Public Works, I’ve seen the city look clean and beautiful and I’ve experienced San Francisco at points where we all need to get our act together and do something different. During these challenging economic times, when resources are thin, to keep the city looking the best that it can look, we are asking everyone to step [...]

Embracing Web 2.0 tools, the City of San Francisco has started making its data more open to the public. NENfm interviews Adriel Hampton, web specialist and speaker at the upcoming Craigslist Foundation Boot Camp, about the potential of this move and if it’s actually possible to make sense of so much data. Episode Length: 26:02 Download this episode (right click and save) Show Information Guest: Adriel Hampton, investigator with the SF [...]