The Rise of the ‘Night Mayor’

Writing in Governing, Jess Reia explains why more U.s. cities are hiring ‘night mayors’ to oversee urban nightlife as a “separate, habitable world.”

Reia, who researches nocturnal life, writes that “There’s fear of the dark, safety concerns and noise disturbances. It’s a period that’s ripe for partying, illicit activities and recklessness. And then there are the traditional notions of night: silence, sleep and rejuvenation.” Cities “alleviate some of these fears and facilitate quietude, such as building out a public lighting infrastructure and passing noise codes with special hotlines for noise complaints.”

But nightlife is more complicated. “There have been studies on light pollution and its effects on humans and wildlife, how the shuttering of LGBTQ nightclubs has weakened communities and how late-night venues and businesses spur higher rents.”

Amsterdam became the first city to formally appoint a ‘night mayor’ in 2014, “which set the stage for a bureaucracy of councils, departments and commissions dedicated to governing the city after dark.” New York City followed suit in 2017.

Reia raises concerns about surveillance and privacy as night governance becomes more popular with city governments. “With responsible, careful deployment, however, certain data can be a useful tool for night governance. For example, responsibly tracking movement at night can help cities understand where more nighttime public transit might be useful.”