I appreciate Charlie's post on Wifi. Can't we believe that cities are still capable of providing public services? There are a number of problematic examples of private companies taking over public utilities such as water and electricity. The experience from these experiments illustrates a number of useful lessons in who gets left out and how and where the money is spent. That said, I also believe that broadband is a fundamentally different kind of service than water and sewer. We no longer live in an age when cities provided all services as well as funding for revitalization activities.
I appreciate Charlie's post on Wifi. Can't we believe that cities are still capable of providing public services? There are a number of problematic examples of private companies taking over public utilities such as water and electricity. The experience from these experiments illustrates a number of useful lessons in who gets left out and how and where the money is spent.
That said, I also believe that broadband is a fundamentally different kind of service than water and sewer. We no longer live in an age when cities provided all services as well as funding for revitalization activities. Community groups, banks and institutions (to name a few) all play a major role in the city planning process that augments what any one city can reasonably accomplish on their own. The success of specific neighborhoods in furthering revitalization efforts is often based on their ability to organize, plan and, with the city's help, implement. Its these grass-roots efforts that should be supported by city policy and this is where I have issues with the Philadelphia wireless plan.
Does the entire City really need Wifi? Should we not just target the underserved neighborhoods? Can we use the money currently allocated for the plan as an incentive for neighborhoods to create technology plans that identify what they need and how they will use it? CDBG funds and other monies are not thrust upon neighborhoods without a plan for what it is going to be used for. Wifi should be no different.
So what is the role of cities in facilitating stronger broadband access and use? A few things that could be discussed include: Removing the barriers that impede neighborhoods from bringing Wifi to their communities; Developing partnerships with private companies to assist neighborhoods in realizing their goals and; Encouraging neighborhoods to organize and create local initiatives unique to their context with the strategic use of public dollars for implementation. This may seem idealistic but Wifi has brought forward an interesting issue regarding the role of city government in this day and age. I haven't even broached the topic of whether the technology will outpace the government's ability to implement and maintain the network.....another time

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
