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Aug 03 2016

RPA Lab

Urban Planning, in Verse

by Emily Thenhaus

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The report. The study. The long PDF assigned in classes, passed out at events and piled on desks. But is it ever read?

A few years ago, the World Bank was brave enough to admit that nearly one-third of their reports, available online as PDFs, had never been viewed. (The report on their publication traffic is, of course, available by PDF).

While frustrating to think tanks, the lack of report views is somewhat understandable. Reports of any genre can be long and unwieldy, with unsexy titles and topics. And as the organization that once published a report titled Fundamental Property Tax Reform No. 2, we aren’t immune.

Which is why we’ve created a few quick, albeit oversimplified, haikus for some of RPA’s wonky and perhaps not-so-well-known studies. (Feel free to dig deeper, of course, in the PDFs.)

Many more people

coming to region, we think.

plan accordingly.

-- Charting a New Course: A Vision for A Successful Region

Kings Queens Bronx Staten:

Sometimes we don’t want to go

into Manhattan.

-- Overlooked Boroughs: Where New York City’s Transit Falls Short and How to Fix It

Old downtowns vacant

They can be revitalized

through Freddie reform.

-- The Unintended Consequences of Housing Finance

Urban Freight. Beep Beep.

Why all these trucks on my street?

I can’t take the vroom.

-- Why Goods Movement Matters

90s ​‘til today,

gotten better for many

but not for us all.

-- Fragile Success: Taking Stock of the New York Metropolitan Region

Is it hot in here

or just a lack of green roofs?

Urban Heat Island

-- 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work

Veggies are healthy,

But your race, class and Zip code

may drive health outcomes.

-- State of the Region’s Health: How the New York Metropolitan Region’s Urban Systems Influence Health

Modernization

for old signals, slow trains, means

more than countdown clocks.

-- Moving Forward: Accelerating the Transition to Communications-Based Train Control for New York City’s Subways

Log in, work from home

In the future, we may need

fewer cubicles

-- The Future of Work: A Fourth Regional Plan Whitepaper

Lots of great ideas

Palisades Park, George Wash Bridge

Let’s forget Lomex

-- The First Regional Plan of New York and Its Environs

At far edge of Queens

Trade hiking boots for wet suits

on the water trails.

-- Paddling the Bay: Advancing the Jamaica Bay Water Trail

L closed for repairs

Yes, the time is ripe to make

a train worth the wait

-- A New L Train for New Yorkers

Flooding, storms, sea rise

Should we stay or should we go?

Who? When? Where? How? Why?

-- Where to Reinforce, Where to Retreat: A Fourth Regional Plan Whitepaper

Investing in green

like the Hudson River Park

grows more than flowers

-- Realizing the Benefits of Hudson River Park

Without more rental,

Johnny on Long Island may

live with pops long term.

-- Long Island’s Rental Housing Crisis

Aging rail to Feds:

Please please please send more funding

Repairs are past due.

-- The Need for Greater Federal Investment in Metropolitan Rail

Urban planners & poets: Emily Thenhaus, Moses Gates, Sarah Serpas and Vanessa Barrios

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Research Areas

Housing & Neighborhood Planning

Written by

  • Emily Thenhaus

    Former Communications Associate

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Statement Responding to Mayor Adams’s State of the City Address
Jan 2023
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Statement on Housing Affordability Responding to Governor Hochul’s State of the State Address

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