A peer learning network for mayors and city leaders.
Posted on June 3, 2026 By Leslie Vasquez, Mayors Innovation Project While violent crime has declined recently in many cities, summer months can still bring seasonal spikes in violence that disproportionately affect young people. At the same time, summer school breaks can leave many youth without access to structured environments and supportive relationships that help …
Posted on July 1, 2026 By Mary Carr Lee, Mayors Innovation Project Across the country, cities are reassessing their relationship with Flock Safety, the fast-growing provider of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. Once marketed as a turnkey crime-fighting tool, Flock’s system is now at the center of a national debate about data governance, public …
By Chloe Sieman and Katya Spear, Mayors Innovation Project As municipalities across the country are courted by tech giants promising innovation and investment, a growing body of data suggests the long-term reality may not match the pitch decks. Before breaking ground, local leaders must weigh these 5 Major Considerations regarding the rapid expansion of AI …
By Chloe Sieman, UW–Madison Senior, Major: International Studies and Public Policy Today, 4.2 million children nationwide lack access to child care, exacerbated in regions of low average property value and high rates of poverty, disparately affecting Black communities. Inaccessibility to high quality care leaves parents with the option of either jeopardizing income, or leaving children …
By Kylah Kehoe, UW–Madison Freshman, Major: Economics and Political Science Across the board, costs continue to rise for college students. As young people living away from home for the first time, college students may be more vulnerable to rising costs due to a lack of financial literacy and high tuition payments. The 2023-2024 Hope Center …
By Quincy Midthun, Mayors Innovation Project A recent report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) found that municipalities have increased their spending with Amazon nearly fourfold since 2016. From standard office supplies like pens and paper to tools and parts for repairing municipal vehicles, corporate giants like Amazon have quietly become a default purchasing …
By Mary Carr Lee • Mayors Innovation Project Across the country, cities are navigating a complex reality defined by two factors: the increasingly high needs of our most vulnerable residents and the persistent uncertainty of federal funding and municipal budgets. Simply put, the gap between what residents need and what public services can provide is …
By Katya Spear, Mayors Innovation Project It’s a well worn adage that culture eats policy for lunch. No matter how long you’ve served in office, how you, your council, and staff work together will drive your local government’s ability to advance your greatest priorities regardless of your city’s size or form of government. Why? For …
By Andreas Scocos and Katya Spear, Mayors Innovation Project Throughout the US there is a significant housing shortage – estimated by some housing experts to exceed 4 million units – driving up housing costs as an increasing number of buyers and renters compete for a relatively static number of housing units. While the shortage is …
By Quincy Midthun and Katya Spear, Mayors Innovation Project At the Mayors Innovation Project, our commitment to peer learning means offering avenues to share and replicate good ideas. The MIP Innovation Showcase is a lightning round session where mayors get three minutes to share a policy, program, or practice that they have implemented or are …
