By Brittany Ramos.

Cities across the United States are striving to improve the lives of their residents.

In honor of World Cities Day, here are eight examples of innovative practices in United States cities that are changing the way people and organizations work together to ensure our urban centers are places of opportunity and sustainable growth.

1. Applying a Racial Equity and Inclusion lens to Government Operations and Budgeting

Seattle government departments join with the community to address institutional racism.

2. Using cross-sector partnerships for a more holistic approach to issues like violence

New Orleans unites community, police, service providers and government for a preventative and holistic approach to reducing the historically high murder rate.

3. Using technology to foster deeper civic engagement

The District of Columbia council uses a web-platform that allows citizens to suggest changes to a bill during mid-day meetings that would otherwise be inaccessible for many working citizens.

4. Applying private sector breakthroughs to public sector

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation capturing smart phone technology to streamline parking meter payment and cut down on overhead costs associated with collecting coins.

5. Silo-busting approaches that connect housing, transportation, retail, etc. to create more resilient cities with more opportunity for all

The Detroit Corridor Initiative works to create mixed income districts to foster job growth and access to opportunity.

6. Equitable Transit-Oriented Development that connect communities to opportunity

Efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area that use transit policy and planning engagement to ensure infrastructure developments foster affordable thriving neighborhoods that are connected to regional employment opportunities.

7. Government funding focused on better outcomes instead of programmatic outputs

Massachusetts launched a statewide Pay For Success Initiative to decrease juvenile recidivism and increase employment by redirecting funding toward preventative services that get results in place of expanded criminal justice expenditures.

8. Developing efficient infrastructure that captures natural resources instead of managing them

Philadelphia is working to convert its storm water management infrastructure so that it absorb and/or uses gray water instead of trying to contain it.

Follow the Word Cities Day conversation around the globe with hashtag #CitiesDay.

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Originally posted at Living Cities.