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.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions