City of Bloomington a Finalist in MIT’s Climate CoLab Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2016

For more information, please contact:

Jacqui Bauer, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Bloomington Economic and Sustainable Development Department, 812.349.3837, bauerj@bloomington.in.gov

City of Bloomington a Finalist in MIT's Climate CoLab Competition

Bloomington, Ind. - A proposal aimed at the improving affordability and sustainability of rental properties has landed the City of Bloomington and partner cities across the country in a competition for $10,000, and residents are urged to vote to show their support.

The proposal, submitted this spring as part of the Climate CoLab Buildings 2016 competition, was selected as a finalist for the competitive $10,000 Climate CoLab Grand Prize, which would be used to continue the development of the fledgling RentRocket.org website, currently in prototype form. The competition is hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"This project is aimed at changing the way the rental market works," said Jacqui Bauer, City of Bloomington Sustainability Coordinator. "Renters often have to make housing decisions without information on the cost of utilities, transportation access, and other factors. RentRocket will help fill that gap."

Voting will continue through the end of July, with the most popular proposal (determined by online voting), along with the winner of a "Judges' Prize," going on to compete for the Grand Prize of $10,000. The award will be based on feasibility, innovation, and the potential for the proposal to make a significant impact.

Partner cities include Ann Arbor, Michigan, Burlington, Vermont, and several other university communities. Launchpad Solutions, based in Bloomington, is spearheading the next-phase development of the site.

To vote, visit www.tinyurl.com/RentRocket2016 and sign in before casting your vote. To share information about your rental for inclusion on the site, both landlords and tenants can email sustain@bloomington.in.gov.

For more information on the RentRocket project, visit www.rentrocket.org or call 812.349.3837.

###