Taichung, Taiwan (pop 2.7 million) has beaten out six other finalists to claim the Intelligent Community Forum’s (ICF) designation as "intelligent community of the year". Robert Bell and Sylvie Albert describe what makes the city an intelligent icon.
"Why did Taichung stand out among its peers? One factor was powerful collaboration on job creation among universities, business and government, with staggering results. The city is home to 17 colleges and universities and to seven major technology parks, just one of which generated 8,000 new jobs," say Bell and Albert, award judges. "Another factor was skill in managing the digital divide."
"Taichung has also transformed a somewhat gritty urban environment — nicknamed the Mechanical Kingdom — into a place known for culture, from food to the arts. Not just a 'nice to have' feature, culture adds to the quality of life that attracts Taiwan’s most innovative individuals and companies."
"Taichung joins a select group of intelligent communities of the year that includes Riverside, California; Stockholm, Sweden; Suwon, South Korea and Eindhoven in the Netherlands," add the authors. "And as one of 119 intelligent communities named by ICF, it assumes the responsibility of providing an economic development model for communities large and small around the globe."
FULL STORY: What makes Taichung the intelligent community of the year? The judges explain

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service