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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi planners and affiliates-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am looking for suggestions for student projects that could help your planning efforts. I would manage student groups to complete these projects. One type is smaller and one larger.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The larger one is an urban downtown or neighborhood center for our
<b><i>Revitalizing Urban Main Streets</i></b> class in the Fall of 2024. This class brings together a team of 10-15 students, mostly second year Masters students and mid-career professionals, to look at the challenges and opportunities facing a downtown district
and recommend ways to help, from financing tools, to zoning changes, to other approaches. I work with the students as their project manager and apply some of the research from our
<a href="https://dusp.mit.edu/projects/main-street-after-covid-19">Main Street After COVID</a> work as well as other best practices. This is a three-month course with an early student site visit, a mid-semester presentation to some public board or committee,
and a final presentation. Along the way, we ask that our local partner provide information, suggestions and support. Last time the class was taught we worked in
<a href="https://issuu.com/mit-dusp/docs/mit_holyoke_1-31-23-withlinks_a">Holyoke, MA on South High Street</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The smaller one is for our <b><i>Financing Economic Development & Housing</i></b> class for this spring. This class involves a final project where teams of 2-5 students work with a local partner to do some basic application of the financing
tools and models they learn in that class. I am looking for a few projects for this class. These are much smaller, and might involve students designing a potential business assistance program; developing a basic pro forma and zoning recommendations for a site
of local interest; or some other project that has a financial element. These projects will result in a final paper and (if desired) a short presentation to the client.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have ideas for one or the other drop me an email. It can be very casual, just a few sentences and links to any related documents. Generally our partner communities, agencies and non-profits have found the work to be professional
and beneficial (and hasn’t generally stirred any pots without prior approval!)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff Levine, AICP (he/him)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lecturer of Economic Development and Planning<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Program Head, Housing, Community & Economic Development<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Department of Urban Studies & Planning<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Room 9-511<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:jrlevine@mit.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">jrlevine@mit.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Personal Zoom Room: <a href="https://mit.zoom.us/my/jeff.levine">
<span style="color:#0563C1">https://mit.zoom.us/my/jeff.levine</span></a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Levine, J. (2021). Leadership in Planning: How to Communicate Ideas and Effect Positive Change (1st ed.). Routledge.
<a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279287"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279287</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(617) 817-0424<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="125" height="83" style="width:1.302in;height:.8645in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA52C1.E08B6B10" alt="MIT"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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