Civic Engagement
What the Academic Literature Says About Civic Engagement
A literature review notes three big themes and challenges to emerge from a year's worth of intellectual investigation of civic engagement.
Uncertain Future of Portland’s Neighborhood Associations Causing Controversy
A proposal to dissolve the groups has led to a debate about their purpose and who really benefits from them.
The Good and the Bad of Planning Websites
Students review municipal planning department websites in cities with more than 50,000 people to identify strengths and weaknesses. This post shares examples of the use of websites for information sharing and engagement.
The Wisdom of Engaging Nervous Cyclists
It was clear to the City of Toronto that engaging less confident cyclists that make up 60% of the population, yet seldom come to community meetings, might be the key to dramatic mode shifts in the city. Here's how it happened.
Gainesville Turns Abandoned Industrial Hub Into Innovative Park
Gainesville turns contaminated land into a contemporary public greenspace to serve as the city's “Central Park."
Facebook's Live Video Has Consequences for Local Governments
Localities face differing requirements from state to state when it comes to using social media. Are you ready for live video?
A Detroit Design School Seeks a Seat at the Table
Academic institutions can play a major role in enriching the communities they operate in. Amy Deines, interim dean of the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University in Detroit, discusses the city and school's trajectory.
Looking for a Kickstart: City Design Method Cards
The same team that created Cards Against Urbanity is back with an eagerly anticipated new engagement product called City Design Method Cards.
When Conversations Turn Ugly: How to Understand Online Dialogue
Imagine that public meeting that explodes in heated argument. You've likely seen the same thing online. Learn about tools for analyzing online public engagement.
Rating the Effectiveness of Eight Approaches to Civic Engagement
Code for America has released an Engagement Standard that provides concepts for measuring the quality of new engagement platform technology—not a bad tool to have in the perpetual quest to increase the quality of engagement processes.
Street Harassment: An Issue for Planners?
Women and men experience public spaces differently. It is all too common for women to experience street harassment when in public spaces. Nina Flores explores the ways that this issue is being combatted in the online public realm.
The Impressive Story of Florida's 15-Year-Old Citizen Planner
Dylan Gentile, a 15-year-old resident of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, offers inspiration in the form of proactive, positive engagement with the built environment, and already an impressive resume of accomplishments.
Citizens in Central Arkansas Imagine the Future with Interactive Online Plans
How do you create a plan document that grabs the attention of your audience and generates feedback? In Central Arkansas, citizens are exploring and experiencing an interactive online draft plan that makes participation easy and fun.
The Next Frontier of Engagement: Civic Innovation Labs
The recent growth in civic innovation in city halls throughout the country has led to taxpayer investment in private sector organizations addressing social issues, but do these programs really lead to tangible, broad, citizen benefit?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Three Online Engagement Approaches
With advancements in the infrastructure and design of websites comes new ways to engage the public. In this article, Karin Brandt, CEO and co-founder of coUrbanize, details what to consider when launching a civic engagement platform.
6 Questions to Consider for Digital Public Engagement Planning
Digital engagement is the latest buzz when it comes to public participation. If your town is thinking about diving into the digital realm, consider these six questions.
A Massive List of Tools for Digital Public Engagement
Here are 50 tools for online engagement. These digital platforms can help local government consult, collaborate with, and empower citizens in planning decisions.
How Civic Engagement Platforms Can Bring Back the Expertise of Urban Planners
The increasing use of online civic engagement platforms offers a chance for planners to improve the planning process—that is, if they take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the new technology to showcase their expertise.
5 Innovative Tech Solutions for Civic Disengagement
Communities have a growing number of technological resources available to face the challenges posed by a growing population and a resource constrained world.
Can Mayors Help Architects Stay Relevant?
According to an opinion piece by Mimi Zeiger, "urban magistrates are appearing more frequently as personas on the architectural scene as designers tackle questions of the fate of the city." What can design-savvy mayors offer architects?
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
