LocalWiki: An Insider's Guide to Cities

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?

1 minute read

October 26, 2012, 8:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


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

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 in Fast Company Co.Exist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

1 hour ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

2 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

3 hours ago - Cities Today

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA