Four unincorporated communities in Atlanta have become new cities...and outsourced neary all government services to private corporations.
"When the affluent suburban community north of Atlanta won its independence in 2005...And rather than set up a city hall, the city chose to outsource the bulk of the administration to a private corporation...Since then, three more unincorporated enclaves in the county...have asserted their independence....Instead of establishing bureaucracies, the new cities have chosen to outsource nearly all government services to private corporations, making this the nation's most ambitious experiment in privatizing city administration..."
"All the new cities in the Atlanta area have hired CH2M-Hill Inc., a Denver-based company specializing in full-service engineering, consulting, construction and operations, to execute their particular visions of cityhood."
"Some fear that private companies could be too stringent in enforcing codes and ordinances to boost revenue for the city at the expense of enhancing an overall vision for the city. Others say that's the point: Code enforcement is the vision of city leaders."
FULL STORY: An experiment in government
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)