Emily Nonko
Emily Nonko is a Brooklyn, New York-based reporter who writes about real estate, architecture, urbanism and design. Her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Curbed and other publications.
Seed-Planting Drones Are Reforesting Canada With Lightning Speed
Dropping five seed pods per second into wildfire-scarred lands, aerial tree planting is quickly creating biodiverse forests from the sky.
From Textile Waste to Refugee Livelihoods
At Seattle’s Refugee Artisan Initiative, immigrant and refugee women find good-paying jobs and start their own businesses.
How a South American Surplus Flooded Philadelphia With Free Avocados
It could have been a food-waste debacle. Instead, a nimble network turned it into a bounty for all — and inadvertently reinvented a food system.
The Case of the Vanishing Cafeteria Tray
Once a staple of communal dining, food trays are disappearing — along with a harmful human impulse.
When a Missed Piece of Mail Sends Someone to Jail
Missed court dates — often the result of a misunderstanding — lead to more arrest warrants than any other offense. Now a group of attorneys is getting those warrants recalled.
Do-It-Yourself Green Infrastructure
Tired of waiting for government to step in, New Orleans residents are flood-proofing their own communities — sustainably.
How Brooklyn’s Library Gets Back Books Without Fines
The library partnered with behavioral scientists to help people return their books on time.
Austin Is Giving Displaced Residents the ‘Right to Return’
A new city policy allows working-class families priced out of their neighborhoods to come back — affordably.
Crossing the Threshold
Rites of passage prepare us to transition into new phases of life. Ritual4Return ensures leaving prison is no exception.
Portland’s ‘Hygiene Hub’ Goes Way Beyond Free Showers
A full-service facility run by the people who need it offers hot water, laundry, medical care — and legitimization.
Instead of Eviction, Landlords and Tenants Talk It Out
In Philadelphia, face-to-face mediated chats help both parties get what they need.
Strangers Are Welcoming People Released from Prison into Their Homes
Skeptical at first, participants on both sides now see a solution that benefits everyone.
Cops and Community Organizers Are Reimagining Atlanta’s Jail
An unlikely collaboration could transform a place of imprisonment into a center for equity.
Cincinnati Tenants Are Building Equity With Each Rent Payment
Why should homeowners get all the perks? How a different type of rental model puts equity back in the pockets of tenants.