The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "urban development" ...
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Neighborhoods for Sale
The authors explain a recent Chicago Tribune investigation which tracked all zoning changes approved by the Chicago City Council in the past decade. They discuss how they acquired raw data and built their own database, as well as the steps they took to make the final story compelling for Tribune readers.
Tags: zoning; housing; city politics; city government; urban development
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Following the Money after a Disaster
Buettner walks us through how story about the federal money given to New York after 9/11. He discusses the agencies he investigated and the sorts of data he analyzed to find out where the money was going. The data he discusses includes contract data, grant data, SBA Disaster Loans, and FEMA grants. Buettner discusses how he found and used each type of data. At the end of the tipsheet, he shares the results of his investigation.
Tags: September 11; federal government; state government; relief efforts; emergency services; public health; public safety; housing and urban development; HUD
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Reporting on Property and Housing Issues
This tipsheet is a guide to using property and housing documents in your reporting. It discusses the information found in various documents, such as deeds of trust, delinquent property records, and business licenses. It also offers advice on how to use the HUD database to aid in your reporting.
Tags: housing; urban development; property tax; tax records; real estate
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Sprawl: A guide to coverage resources
This is a guide for journalists covering urban sprawl issues. It includes lists of resources that are helpful for that topis. Mainly, the tipsheet is divided into three sections: advocacy groups, academic research and others. Overberg explains where to go for each type of resource, and why it is helpful. Corresponds with story #18782
Tags: sprawl; urban development; mapping; census; population; development; internet
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Growing Pains: Digging Up the Dirt
This tipsheet offers some good story ideas for reporters in cities with a lot of development. Spears suggests looking into how construction companies contribute to pollution, and whether or not the city enforces regulations to limit their pollution. Other suggested topics include looking at how urban sprawl affects highways and water shortages.
Tags: urban sprawl; construction; development; city politics; city laws
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Project tips for urban growth stories
O'Reilly provides a number of recommendations on writing for urban growth projects. This tipsheet includes resources about developers and other enterprise reporting issues.
Tags: GIS software; Census Bureau; mapping
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Growing pains: Digging up the dirt
Spears identifies a number of areas worth looking into when examining the impact of development and urban sprawl. Suggestions include investigating construction and trucking companies, water and drought issues, and the local agency charged with policing the polluters.
Tags: development; urban sprawl; construction; pollution; environment
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Tax Increment Financing: Great stories behind the dull name
Tedesco explains Tax Increment Financing (TIF). This tipsheet contains detailed graphics, information about the law behind TIF and advice for reporters interested in investigating the program in their community.
Tags: Tax Increment Financing; TIF; Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone; TIRZ; development; infrastructure; city planning; San Antonio; municipalities; city hall; local government; developers; urbanism
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Making an Index for Environmental Surveys
One way to approach the urban sprawl story is to determine how the public feels about growth versus conservation. Doing a good survey can get you on your way to answering that question and raising others. Donald describes ways to construct a good environmental survey and how to use SPSS to help you get the results.
Tags: SPSS; environment; growth; urban sprawl; development; statistics; surveys; polls
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Census 2000 two years later: Challenges of the "good stuff"
Overberg of the USA Today offers tips how to deal with census summaries and multi-directional trends. The handout includes list of online resources for universal topics like segregation, urban sprawl, income inequality and redistricting.
Tags: minorities; poverty; income; urban development; CAR; data