ProGov21 Policy Library

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...

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...

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...

Goals for better housing policy

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Brookings

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Housing

Equitable housing policies should build safe units, mitigate environmental impacts, reduce barriers to high-opportunity neighborhoods, and supplement incomes for households in need. This article outlines six goals for improving housing equity and availability, including clarifying...

Teacher pay penalty still looms large: Trends in Teacher Wages and Compensation Through 2022

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2023

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Economic Policy Institute

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Education

Cities that want to high-quality education systems need to address the immense disparity in compensation between teachers' and other workers with similar educational credentials. This study examines working conditions for educators and finds that teachers in 31 states earn 20 percent...

Northern Arizona Council of Governments Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2020-2025

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) Arizona

Source Northern Arizona Council of Governments

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

This report outlines the Northern Arizona Council of Governments' role in economic and workforce development which includes fiscal operations and contract management, collaborating with public and private sectors to address workforce issues and coordinating regional transit policies....

San Diego Municipal Impact Fee Code

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year -

Level City or Town, County

State(s) California

Source City of San Diego

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Public Spaces

This section of San Diego's municipal code establishes regulations for public facilities that are provided by private entities. It outlines permitting requirements for private developers and implements development impact fees which are assessed on new developments to generate revenue...

Local Income Taxes: City- and County-Level Income and Wage Taxes Continue to Wane

Type Article

Year 2011

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Tax Foundation

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement

This article outlines different types of local income taxes and highlights localities that have recently implemented significant changes to their income tax codes. It recommends that local governments implement moderate income tax rates and mitigate compliance costs to secure investment...

Deplorable school conditions: investment in the future of kids in Detroit and all of Michigan

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Michigan League for Public Policy

Policy Areas Education, Community Development

This report examines the blighted school conditions in Detroit and the lack of investment in schools across Michigan. It discusses these conditions' detrimental effects on children's education, future opportunities, and mental health. It emphasizes the need for focused attention,...

More Jobs, Less Pollution: Growing the Recycling Economy in the U.S.

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Tellus Institute

Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces, Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice

This report evaluates the positive impacts of implementing a bold national recycling and composting strategy across federal, state, and local governments. Its recommendations of energy, resource, and waste management would allow for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,...

How Green Banks Help Cities Transition to Clean Energy

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source Meeting Of The Minds

Policy Areas Energy

In the face of climate change crisis, it is urgent for policymakers at state, local, and city level to make transition to clean and renewable energy. However, the construction of renewable projects is usually capital-intensive and requires bank’s upfront investment. Green banks help...

2013 New Orleans Ordinance to Procure Environmentally Preferable Products and Services

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2013

Level City or Town

State(s) Louisiana

Source City of New Orleans

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Energy

This ordinance prioritizes environmental sustainability in procurement spending and creates an environmental purchasing committee. It establishes an assessment system for environmentally preferable purchases and explains the city's plans for promoting the policy will be promoted to...

Nonprofit PILOTs

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town, County, Other, State

State(s) All States

Source Lincoln Land Institute

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

Properties owned by non-profit organizations are often exempt from taxation, which strains local budgets. However, localities can request voluntary payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to recover forgone tax revenue. This policy brief explains how PILOT agreements help boost municipal...

Divestment from Fossil Fuels: A Guide for City Officials and Activists

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy

This policy brief finds that climate change represents the single greatest long-term threat to our cities and citizens. Because of this threat, the brief recommends cities to not invest in companies that profit from fossil fuels, the main cause of climate change. The policy brief...

Crumbling Roads, Poisoned Water and Unsafe Schools: the Effects of a Decade of Disinvestment

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2016

Level City or Town, County

State(s) Michigan

Source Michigan League for Public Policy

Policy Areas Health, Education

This infographic examines trends of reduced social spending and infrastructure investment in Michigan communities, using Flint and Detroit as case studies of the impacts of these austerity programs include diminished government purchasing power and a rise in extreme-child poverty...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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