Seattle's public participation process has served as an example for cities across the globe, but the former city official who was instrumental in creating that reputation says the city's current leadership has moved away from that model.
"While other cities try to emulate Seattle by encouraging neighborhood involvement, the former director of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods said last week that the Emerald City has moved away from the very strategies that made it a global model."
"'Neighbors getting involved with each other and with city processes is a movement everywhere, but it seems like Seattle is going backwards,' Jim Diers said, in town between international and domestic speaking gigs about improving city planning."
"'Cities all over the world want to do things the Seattle way. I wish our city did.'"
"Diers in the late 1990s oversaw the development and implementation of 38 neighborhood plans -- and as many parks, beautification, community, street improvement, and other civic projects as funding allowed."
FULL STORY: Cities copied 'Seattle Way' in planning
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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