Our policy research is informed by our commitment to policies that promote equity, sustainability, and efficient democratic government. We focus on concrete, implementable recommendations for mayors and city leaders.
By Topic
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COVID-19 has created a window of opportunity for advancing paid leave.
Amidst an ongoing economic recovery and global health crisis, providing paid leave is a benefit for both businesses and families. Across the board, paid leave policies have found positive benefits. However, without federal support, the burden falls to local governments.
How can cities make it happen?
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What can municipal governments (counties, cities and towns), still suffering from all the pain and disruption that COVID has brought to their communities and economies, do now to hasten their recovery and build resilience for the future, while also addressing past inequity? Here are seven essential steps to take, all proven, with real-world examples and implementation examples for each, that complement each other and can be done simultaneously.
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The U.S. is among the most unequal societies in the world. To address these inequalities, city leaders, including mayors, should play a critical role in community wealth building. This brief profiles three cities, Nashville, Detroit, and Lafayette, LA, on the unique ways that leaders in these cities are building community wealth and their local democratic systems. City leaders, including mayors, are this brief’s intended audience. However, as highlighted in each example, this work requires multiple actors, including community organizers and developers. This brief is useful to anyone committed to equitable economic development in their community.
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Aging water infrastructure systems, climate change, and the general rising cost of urban living mean that access to clean and affordable water is becoming a greater challenge. Cities and water utilities are increasingly faced with a major financial dilemma: increase rates to update infrastructure and price out ratepayers, or keep rates static at the expense of aging and failing infrastructure. At the fulcrum of this choice sits those most vulnerable to increases in rates: low-to-moderate income households, which are disproportionately made up of women and/or people of color.
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From climate change to outdated infrastructure to lack of federal support, city leaders face more pressure than ever to provide affordable and safe water to residents. Mayors and city leaders need the resources to plan for and improve and maintain public water systems. This report outlines concrete actions a city can take to keep control of its water systems and provides a background to understanding the complexity of public water systems and their current challenges. The solutions for managing robust public systems include topics such as: integrating management approaches for water with other goals; engaging the public in conversations about this valuable resource; promoting affordability of water services; among many more.