Claire Thompson profiles Neighborland, an online urban planning platform that aims to promote organic conversations that can build momentum and facilitate connections around improvement projects.
Born out of a project started by artist Candy Chang in New Orleans in 2010, Neighborland has aspects in common with existing participatory platforms such as Mindmixer and Change by Us, but sees itself as offering a unique service.
According to Alan Williams, Neighborland's director of community, "What's different about Neighborland is we're trying to build support for existing ecosystems," Williams says. "We didn't want to create a separate community, we wanted to provide a tool for the existing community. For almost every idea someone has about their neighborhood, somebody's already working to make that change happen."
"Neighborland serves as a forum to collect those ideas and, with Williams' help, direct them to the people with the power to make them reality," writes Thompson.
"The platform provides a concrete, but continuously evolving, record of the needs and desires residents have for their neighborhoods," and makes it easier for public officials to track the wishes of their constituents.
FULL STORY: Facebook for cities: A social network for building better neighborhoods
New Outreach Tools Reshape the Relationship Between Citizens and Government
Driven by an explosion of online tools, cities across the country are looking beyond the traditional public hearing to rethink how to increase citizen involvement in decision-making and reshape the relationship between citizens and government.
Montana Land Use Reform Overhauls Public Participation Rules
In a bid to streamline housing permits, new state legislation limits public input to the land use planning stage.
New Orleans Bike Share Celebrates 300,000 Rides
The city revived its bike share system under a community-run model in 2021.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
