The New Econ 101

This episode covers The New Econ 101, a 2015 collection of articles published by Next City that proposes innovative ways of doing economics in urban planning and community development. Instead of purely top‐down or profit‐driven models, the featured strategies lean toward more localized, participatory, and equitable approaches.

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1. Cooperatives & Underrepresented Economies: One of the articles explores how co‐ops can be used to support economic actors who are often excluded: smaller entrepreneurs, people in lower‐income communities, etc. By pooling resources and governance, co‐ops offer a more democratic form of economic participation.

2. Top‑down vs Grass‑roots Development: The tension between large institutional redevelopment vs neighborhood‐led change appears prominently. There’s discussion about how much power to give to local residents, and how external institutions (city governments, developers, anchor organizations) can either support or suppress local agency.

3. Anchor Institutions & Social Design: “Anchor institutions” (e.g. universities, hospitals, large nonprofits) can play a vital role in neighborhood development, beyond just offering services or jobs. They can engage in social design — partnering with neighborhoods to plan, resource, and guide development in ways that respond to local needs.

4. Accelerator Programs to Drive Hardware Innovation: Another article reviews accelerator programs (which are usually tech/startup focused) but applied to hardware or other physical innovations. The idea is how these programs can spur local innovation ecosystems, create jobs, and help diversify the kinds of economic activity a city supports.