ProGov21 Policy Library

Across the U.S., land use planning and water management are siloed despite their interdependence. This disconnection leads to inefficient infrastructure, exacerbates climate-driven risks like drought and flooding, and weakens communities' resilience. This report advocates for integrated...

Property tax circuit breakers provide households with direct property tax relief that increases as household income declines. In addition to analyzing the advantages of circuit breakers, this report outlines the basic types of property tax circuit breakers and examines whether eligibility...

Municipalities in the US are facing a fiscal crisis due to the expiration of federal stimulus assistance and significant cuts in aid from states. Property values have also declined, affecting property tax revenues. This report offers an overview of payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs)...

This report analyzes Detroit's split-rate tax system, which applies a higher rate to land value and a lower rate to structures and property improvements. It finds that foreclosure rates in the city significantly decreased when property tax rates were effectively lowered. Its recommendations...

Urban sprawl and inefficient land use result from property tax systems that discourage dense development and reward holding underused land. A split-rate property tax-taxing land at a higher rate than buildings-encourages more compact growth by incentivizing construction and increasing...

Smaller legacy cities are vital for a national low-carbon transition but lack the fiscal capacity and institutional support to engage in sustainability planning. This report calls for "green regeneration" by integrating climate resilience, environmental justice, and green economic...

Minneapolis became the first major U.S. city to eliminate single-family-only zoning citywide through its 2040 Comprehensive Plan. This bold reform allows duplexes and triplexes in all neighborhoods, countering decades of exclusionary zoning rooted in redlining and racial covenants....

This report lays the groundwork for exploring the issue of vacancy by defining what is meant by a “vacant” property,what constitutes a “healthy” vacancy rate, how vacant properties are measured, and why properties become vacant and abandoned. It discusses the impact of vacant properties...