ProGov21 Policy Library

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

Water systems across the nation need major infrastructure updates, but financing these projects by raising rates for residential users shifts costs onto those least able to bear them. This policy memo provides strategies for local officials to fund water infrastructure equitably....

Building Back Better Means Raising Wages for Public-Sector Workers

Type Article

Year 2022

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Economic Policy Institute

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Local governments can use federal recovery funding to invest in their workforces and prevent employee turnover. This article examines public-sector employee wage data and finds that increasing wages for local government employees can mitigate gender and racial pay gaps. It highlights...

Land Value Tax

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Minnesota

Source Metro Transit

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Transportation & Mobility

This report finds that land value taxes incentivize development by levying higher taxes on under-utilized parcels. It includes an evaluation of a bill considered the Minnesota Legislature to permit such projects, as well as case studies illustrating how land value taxes encourage...

A Guide to Proactive Rental Inspection Programs

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Public Safety, Public Spaces

Localities should maintain code enforcement programs to improve both housing conditions and residents' wellbeing. This guide outlines the benefits of proactive rental inspection programs and provides an overview of program design. It recommends involving diverse stakeholders and community...

Career Pathways & Equity Policy Recommendations

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2022

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Welcoming America

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Localities should pursue equity-focused workforce development strategies that expand career opportunities and mitigate discriminatory hiring practices. This policy toolkit offers strategies for expanding access to career pathways programs, implementing local procurement strategies...

Vermont Transportation Equity Framework

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County, Other Boards and Agencies, State

State(s) Vermont

Source State Smart Transportation Initiative

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Equity-focused transit systems increase access to mobility options, reduce air pollution, and enhance economic opportunities for all residents. This guide outlines principles and best practices for promoting a more equitable state transit system and features an implementation plan...

Clean Water, Good Jobs: BlueGreen Alliance Joint Policy on Water Issues

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town, County, National

State(s) All States

Source BlueGreen Alliance

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Public Safety

Crucial updates to water system infrastructure are needed in many cities across the country. This policy brief outlines how updating aging facilities, installing green infrastructure, and manufacturing new equipment creates green jobs, and promotes local economic development. It recommends...

2007 San Jose Ordinance 27980 Increasing Local Contract Authority

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2007

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source San Jose City Council

Policy Areas Finance & Procurement

This ordinance increases the amount of funding city departments can appropriate in contract agreements and expands departmental authority over the scope and type of purchases they are permitted to make....

The Power of Parks to Promote Health

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Health, Public Spaces

Parks and natural spaces promote mental, physical, and environmental wellbeing, and many parks departments are leveraging parks and recreational resources to improve health outcomes. This report outlines the benefits of preserving access to parks and green spaces and provides policy...

The Excellent City Park System: What Makes it Great and How to Get There

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces

This report outlines best practices for effective park development and recommends that cities take inventory of their land assets, prioritize park safety and equity, and regularly engage with the public. It also highlights case studies that have implemented successful park development...

COG Board Explores Opportunities for Regional Infrastructure Investments

Type Article

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County

State(s) District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia

Source Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Transportation & Mobility

This article outlines how the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments is collaborating to optimize federal and regional funding for transportation improvements. It highlights the Union Station redevelopment project and how it will expand commuter rail service while meeting...

County of Sacramento Climate Action Plan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level County

State(s) California

Source County of Sacramento

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Education, Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement, Public Safety

Cities must develop strategic planning frameworks to mitigate emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. This climate action plan outlines carbon emission inventories, mitigation approaches, and reduction targets for Sacramento County. It provides an overview of the...

Ohio Foreclosures 2016: Damage in the Wake of the Housing Crisis

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Housing, Public Safety

This report analyzes the state of foreclosure filings in Ohio in 2015 and discusses the consequences of foreclosures on families, neighborhoods, and local governments. The report reveals that while foreclosure filings have declined, they remain times higher than pre-subprime lending...

Opportunity-Rich Schools and Sustainable Communities: Seven Steps to Align High-Quality Education with Innovations in City and Metropolitan Planning and Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level School District, City or Town, School Board

State(s) All States

Source UC Berkeley Center For Cities & Schools

Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Children & Families

This report aims to help community development and regional planning practitioners collaborate on cross-sector educational improvement efforts, increase productivity, and foster social equity. Its seven-step process recommends developing an understanding of the educational landscape,...

Building Opportunity: Investing in our Future through a Port Construction Careers Policy

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Transportation & Mobility

Proposed investment in the Port of Los Angeles would create thousands of new construction jobs and boost the city's overall economy. This report provides analysis of existing economic conditions in the region and explains how a "Construction Careers Policy" would ensure equitable...

How Ohio Funds Public Transit

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2017

Level City or Town

State(s) Ohio

Source Policy Matters Ohio

Policy Areas Transportation & Mobility

This report highlights the inadequate funding and strains faced by public transit in Ohio, emphasizing the need for increased support from the state. More funding must be needed to ensure the city's ability to maintain services and expand to meet growing demands. The report proposes...

Creating Traffic Safety

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2024

Level City or Town, County

State(s) -

Source Local Progress

Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Localities should pursue policies that improve traffic safety while decreasing the role of armed police officers in enforcing traffic violations. This policy memo outlines the shortcomings of current traffic safety approaches and highlights localities that have successfully improved...

Water Conservation Pricing

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year -

Level City or Town, County

State(s) Texas

Source Texas Water Development Board

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources, Finance & Procurement

Water Conservation Pricing is the use of rate structures that discourage the inefficient use or waste of water. This guide provides implementation strategies for conservation pricing, an implementation timeline, and a guide for quantifying water savings. ...

Memphis Blues: How Corporate Property Tax Breaks and Stadium Subsidies are Sapping the City’s Fiscal Strength

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level City or Town

State(s) Tennessee

Source Good Jobs First

Policy Areas -

The City of Memphis has deliberately avoided its municipal pension obligations at the same time it has granted a series of costly property tax abatements, such as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs), to large corporations and sports franchises. For every year between 2009 and 2012,...

The Invisible Crisis: Water Unaffordability in the United States

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Environment & Natural Resources

In many communities across the U.S., water is neither safe nor affordable. This report provides best practices for improving water utility safety and affordability, including programs that keep water costs below 2.5% of household income, banning water shutoffs for nonpayment, prioritizing...

A County Manager’s Guide to Shared Services in Local Government

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level County

State(s) All States

Source IBM Center for the Business of Government

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance

Shared Service Agreements are contracts or agreements that expand access to quality services while promoting collaboration and innovation between multiple local governments. This guide outlines best practices for establishing these agreements, highlights successful case studies, and...

Housing Choice Voucher Landlord Guidebook: Education and Outreach

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Education, Housing

Public housing agencies (PHAs) can use effective education and outreach strategies to recruit and retain Housing Choice Voucher landlords. This guide outlines best practices for establishing relationships between landlords, tenants and PHAs through education and outreach, and provides...

Health Care for Airport Workers: Protecting Our Security and Safeguarding Our Children's Future

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2009

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy

Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Health

This report underscores the failure of the Los Angeles Living Wage Ordinance to increase healthcare benefits for LAX workers, and outlines how the lack of insurance has impacted workers' families. It recommends that the city invest to increase the health care differential of the living...

High Road WIOA: Building Higher Job Quality into Workforce Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source High Road Strategy Center

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Training investments in low-wage sectors are often undermined by unsafe job conditions, unpredictable hours, and wage theft. By directing resources from the federal Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) toward high road employers, localities can improve job quality and workforce...

Navigating Legal Pathways to Rate-Funded Customer Assistance Programs

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2017

Level City or Town, State

State(s) All States

Source University of North Carolina Environmental Finance Center

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

Low-income families are significantly burdened by rising water utility rates. This guide explains how water and wastewater utilities can establish payment assistance programs even when facing state-level regulatory restrictions. It also features utility-level case studies that exemplify...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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