The Compounding Challenges in America’s Cities
Most cities lack experienced leadership in change management. This, along with the numerous challenges listed below, has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the prevailing contentiousness of current times.
Declining population rates due to an aging population and inability to attract younger generations, which is usually due to not having a quality of place where people want to live
Shortage of affordable housing, healthcare options, quality education, recreational options, and other lifestyle amenities
Avoided or ineffectively addressed social issues resulting in poverty, homelessness, crime, and declining urban neighborhood trends
Lack of tax base generating new revenues for reinvestment
Low morale and waning community spirit due to isolation and lack of active new investments
Industry abandonment and small business closures
Inability to professionally organize and present project plans as required to access outside private and public funding
Need for new thought around flexible policy that attracts new development
Low area median incomes that deter investors due to their inability to finance projects that are not deeply incentivized at the local level to achieve lease/purchase rates needed to meet the constrained budgets of local residents/businesses
Shortage of staff with experience to innovate, research, and manage visionary, high-demand projects
Missing skills to collaborate across public and private sectors to pool time, people, and funding required to plan and execute innovative projects that can meet multiple agendas
While many significant challenges are prevalent in most cities, small cities offer advantages that larger cities do not. These advantages present great opportunities for the future development of small towns if their leadership can organize quickly and soon enough.
Lower cost of living
Lower housing and land costs - construction costs have increased everywhere, so where there is land, there are lower-cost opportunities for developers
Younger generations and baby boomers are looking for smaller, quaint, and safe cities that have a great up-and-coming vibe
Local governments should be more flexible and open to listening to creative ideas and policies
Smaller cities are tighter-knit, where people know each other and can more easily overcome societal tensions if the leadership knows how to 1) assertively unify, 2) facilitate not defending hard positions, 3) doesn’t allow ego to get in the way, or avoid conflict for the sake of being liked.
The Solution to Overcoming These Challenges: Leadership
Overcoming these challenges largely depends on having strong, skilled leadership that knows how to build solid, experienced teams. And teams look different today. Municipal leadership often lacks the necessary experience, staff, and financial resources to effectively overcome these challenges. Even if a mayor or members of the city team can inspire change, they will not achieve it on their own. In fact, we find that due to the speed at which projects need to be executed to achieve critical state, federal and, more often, private-sector funding is required to implement projects; they are rarely successful under the umbrella of often disjointed municipal leadership.
We have developed collaborative processes that organize multiple private sector entities to approach community development with a business mindset. The plan, pro forma, accountability practices, team development, and sustainable structures required to make community change happen can be designed with the engagement and programmed collaboration of multiple entities, which ultimately minimizes the required investment and risk for any one partner. While the public sector is part of the team, its role is minimized to the extent that it can provide the necessary capacity and resources to lead, fund, and execute the project. This makes community transformation palatable and rewarding for all.