On Nov. 19, Seema Iyer, associate director and research assistant professor for the Jacob France Institute in the University of Baltimore, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun titled “Want to reduce crime in Baltimore? Invest in the city” where she laid out her thoughts on “some ways our leaders can help us all address crime by getting at the root cause of hopelessness that lack of opportunity engenders.”

She mentioned four areas that should be investment priorities for our leaders:

• immediate investment into mass transit and transit technology
• invest in rehabilitating old and unhealthy housing stock
• invest in broadband competition
• Invest in making sure Baltimore is prepared for climate change

Read the full Baltimore Sun Op-Ed here.

About Seema Iyer

Seema Iyer is the associate director and research assistant professor for the Jacob France Institute in the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business and has overseen the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance since 2011. Dr. Iyer holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, specializing in comprehensive and strategic planning for community development. She serves on several community-oriented boards including Baltimore City Head Start and the Baltimore Community Foundation Neighborhoods Committee and in 2010, she was recognized as one of Maryland’s Leading Women by the Daily Record. She is co-chair and teaches in the University of Baltimore’s Real Estate and Economic Development program. In 2019, she was instrumental in launching the University of Baltimore Real Estate Fellows Program that creates opportunities for aspiring University of Baltimore student and alumni real estate entrepreneurs looking to impact critical development needs within Baltimore’s middle-market neighborhoods.

Prior to joining UB, Iyer served as Chief of Research and Strategic Planning for Baltimore City’s Planning Department and was responsible for data and policy analysis, geographic information systems services and population forecasting. She spearheaded the city’s 2010 Census Complete Count Campaign as well as other planning processes such as the 2009 Food Policy Task Force and the 2008 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. She earned her M.A. in regional science and B.A. in mathematics and Russian studies, both from the University of Pennsylvania.