Four unincorporated communities in Atlanta have become new cities...and outsourced neary all government services to private corporations.
"When the affluent suburban community north of Atlanta won its independence in 2005...And rather than set up a city hall, the city chose to outsource the bulk of the administration to a private corporation...Since then, three more unincorporated enclaves in the county...have asserted their independence....Instead of establishing bureaucracies, the new cities have chosen to outsource nearly all government services to private corporations, making this the nation's most ambitious experiment in privatizing city administration..."
"All the new cities in the Atlanta area have hired CH2M-Hill Inc., a Denver-based company specializing in full-service engineering, consulting, construction and operations, to execute their particular visions of cityhood."
"Some fear that private companies could be too stringent in enforcing codes and ordinances to boost revenue for the city at the expense of enhancing an overall vision for the city. Others say that's the point: Code enforcement is the vision of city leaders."
FULL STORY: An experiment in government

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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