Corruption is a common companion to the development approvals process—Cincinnati is no exception. But Cincinnati is attempting a new approach to conflicts of interest.
Madeline Ottilie reports on a drastic response to a corruption scandal rocking the Cincinnati City Council: a ban on developer political contributions.
Ottilie reports that a law approved last week by the Cincinnati City Council bars elected officials "from accepting or asking for donations from developers that have business before council."
Three city councilmembers faced federal indictment on corruption charges in 2020: Tamaya Dennard, Jeff Pastor, and PG Sittenfeld.
Among the large cities in the United States, only Los Angeles rivals Cincinnati with the breadth and depth of corruption indictments in recent years. In October, Los Angeles Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas became the latest to face federal indictment in that city, but Los Angeles has yet to take such drastic action to quell the recent spate of corruption charges.
All three corruption charges in Cincinnati involved the development process, according to Ottilie's article, and accordiing to sources cited in the article, the city now has a reputation as a "pay-to-play" government. Liz Keating, Cincinnati council member and candidate for reelection, is quoted in the article saying the council should have gone further in limiting the potential for corruption in the development approvals process. The source article includes more detail about the limits of local power in limiting political donations.
FULL STORY: Cincinnati city council passes ban on developers to cut down on corruption
L.A. City Councilmember Arrested, to Face Charges in Development Corruption Scheme
Longtime City Councilmember Jose Huizar was arrested at his home in Boyle Heights this morning, in the latest signal of a culture of corruption at Los Angeles City Hall.
Keeping Bees Away from Honey? Corruption Cases Expose Flaws in L.A. City’s Land Entitlement Process
Three former Los Angeles public officials share their collective perspective on how best to reform the city of Los Angeles' corrupted land use approval process.
The High Costs of Housing Development: It's Complicated
The high costs of housing development do not fit a convenient narrative, according to new analysis by Jenny Schuetz from the Brookings Institution.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service