If you want to know something about Davis, CA, don’t go to the website of the local paper or the city, go to DavisWiki, a repository of all things Davis, written by the public. Thanks to a recent grant, could something similar be coming to your town?
Eight years ago, UC Davis students Philip Neustrom and Mike Ivanov launched DavisWiki to collect "somewhere in cyberspace" all of the information about the campus and surrounding city bound up in people's memories and experiences. They intended to not only preserve and share their knowledge of Davis, but also to leave the website open for the community to provide their input. Emily Badger writes, "[a]nd then the whole concept took off, with Davis residents relishing the opportunity to contribute what they knew."
"It's the most comprehensive, hyperlocal thing ever," says Neustrom. "One in six people there visit it every day," adds Badger. "It has 18,000 pages now, about which businesses have bathroom changing tables, where to find all-you-can-eat buffets, and how to dodge a Davis zombie attack." Thanks to a grant from the Knight News Challenge, LocalWiki, the software behind DavisWiki, is now being developed so that other cities can start their own wikis. The Raleigh-Durham Triangle, Oakland, Ann Arbor, and even Antarctica have already taken part in the project.
Reid Serozi, who's leading the Raleigh-Durham site, "suspects that something happens to a community when it possesses all of this knowledge about itself. Maybe people will become more involved with their neighbors, or with programs they didn't realize existed. Participating in a virtual, live story-telling about your town implies that you may take more ownership of it, too."
Thanks to Jessica Hsu
FULL STORY: A Crowdsourced Hyperlocal City Guide, Coming To You Soon
Mahjong Game Highlights Displacement of Seniors in NYC’s Chinatown
‘Aging Out of Place’ explores the mechanisms that displace vulnerable seniors, and how the community can help preserve key resources and institutions.
Bringing Community Voices Into Renewable Energy Planning
The MIT Renewable Energy Clinic helps coastal communities navigate the complexities of offshore wind development through neutral, inclusive engagement that surfaces local concerns and supports fair decision-making.
A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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)