Aaron M. Renn

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What Assets Should We Privatize?

February 1, 2013 By Aaron M. Renn

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that New York has scrapped its plans to privatize parking meters. It's no secret that I've generally been a critic of long term privatization deals for on-street parking. The reason is simple. Parking meters are not a capital asset like a toll bridge, nor are they a traditional city service like garbage collection. Rather, parking meters are an urban planning tool we use to manage access to precious on-street real estate. As the way we will want to manage this real estate over time will change, it's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Governance and Public Services

Regarding Smart Cities

November 27, 2012 By Aaron M. Renn

I was in Barcelona a couple weeks ago for the Smart City Expo and World Congress, where I moderated a session on the impact of smart city technologies on cities. Not only is Barcelona an amazing city itself, it was great to get to see European urbanists we don't always run across in the US, like Charles Landry and Ricky Burdett. As is often the case, I think we here in America (myself included) end up trapped in a US-centric bubble in our thinking. So it's good to break out of it. My session brought out a number of interesting points in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Governance and Public Services

Improving Chicago’s Business Climate

October 14, 2012 By Aaron M. Renn

This article is part of the State of Chicago. Chicago is a tale of two cities when it comes to the business climate. If you are a high profile Loop business, things are great. The city will move mountains for you, permits won't be an issue, and a healthy heaping portion of TIF dollars might even be coming your way. If you are a small business or someone without connections, it's a different story. Improving business conditions, especially for small business and especially in the neighborhoods, is critical to the city's economic future. I'll … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chicago, Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services

Fixing Chicago: Rahm’s Work in Progress

September 9, 2012 By Aaron M. Renn

This article is part of The State of Chicago. As I continue with my Chicago series, I'll turn now to the matter of how to fix what's wrong with Chicago, hopefully without damaging the things that are already right and going well. This first piece is to highlight what Mayor Rahm Emanuel has already been doing. The timing's risky, as at midnight tonight the teachers' union might go on strike. But I'll take my chances. I voted for Rahm for mayor, for three major reasons: 1. I see him as like his mentor Bill Clinton, namely someone to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chicago, Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services

The Columbus, Indiana Values Proposition

August 12, 2012 By Aaron M. Renn

[ Columbus, Indiana has long been known as a special place. Which is too bad, since unlike most small industrial cities in America, it has actually been a success. Alas, despite its clear superior performance, few places show any interest in trying to replicate the things that made it successful. National Public Radio recently ran a segment on Columbus' famed architecture. In it was another telling quote from town patriarch J. Irwin Miller that sums it up: "Whatever you do in this world, you've got a responsibility and a privilege of doing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Columbus (Indiana), Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services, Planning, Transport, and Environment, Urban Culture

Cities as Software

October 25, 2011 By Marcus Westbury

[ For those of you who haven't heard the story or checked it out, I highly encourage you to check out Renew Newcastle, which is a great urban success story out of Newcastle, Australia. There are a lot of lessons here to be learned, particularly for places that struggle with a lack of financial resources. Hopefully this article can give you some ideas and some hope - Aaron. ] This article was written for the latest edition of the Dutch architecture/ design journal Volume… Let me put a scenario to you. Say you live in an aging, fading … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services, Newcastle (Australia), Planning, Transport, and Environment

The Logic of Failure

March 24, 2011 By Aaron M. Renn

"It is far from clear whether 'good intentions plus stupidity' or 'evil intentions plus intelligence' have wrought more harm in the world. People with good intentions usually have few qualms about pursuing their goals. As a result, incompetence that would otherwise have remained harmless often becomes dangerous...Failure does not strike like a bolt from the blue; it develops gradually according to its own logic. As we watch individuals attempt to solve problems, we will see that complicated situations seem to elicit habits of thought that set … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services, Planning, Transport, and Environment

A Tale of Two Blizzards

January 14, 2011 By Aaron M. Renn

[Since it's winter and snow clearance has been in the news lately, I thought it was a good time to rerun this piece looking at the different expectations people in different cities have for public services, and how regardless of where you fall on that, everybody's feeling the pain right now.] Photo Credit: flickr/meryddidanJanuary 1979 saw one of the worst blizzards in city history hit Chicago, dumping 20 inches of snow, closing O'Hare airport for 46 hours, and paralyzing traffic in the city for days. Despite the record snowfall, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chicago, Governance and Public Services, Indianapolis, Urban Culture

Louisville – An Identity Crisis

November 19, 2010 By Aaron M. Renn

Following on from my article on Cincinnati, I'll now take a short 100 mile trip downstream to another old river city, Louisville. Louisville came of age in a similar era and traditionally viewed itself as a sort of little brother to Cincinnati. However, while Cincinnati was once the Paris of the west, Louisville never held so lofty a position, so it lacks Cincy's grandeur. Luckily, it also appears to be missing some of the dysfunction. See here the river city tradition as the Belle of Louisville steamboat fires up. There were obviously no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Demographics and Economic Development, Governance and Public Services, Louisville, Planning, Transport, and Environment, Urban Culture

Downsides of Consolidation #2 – Cost Increases, Dilution of Urban Interests, Deferred Problems

March 7, 2010 By Aaron M. Renn

This is the second and last installment in my mini-series on the downsides of city-county consolidation, or "big box" vs. "small box" government. Part one covers neighborhood redevelopment challenges. For those of you who didn't read that, I'm not opposed to city-county consolidations at all, and generally think they've been positives in places that have pursued them. I am merely examining some of the trade-offs that come with that choice. Like any form of government, this one too has its challenges. Cost Increases Proponents of government … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Governance and Public Services, Indianapolis, Louisville

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About Aaron M. Renn


 
Aaron M. Renn is an opinion-leading urban analyst, consultant, speaker, and writer on a mission to help America’s cities and people thrive and find real success in the 21st century. (Photo Credit: Daniel Axler)
 
Email: aaron@aaronrenn.com
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