The objective of this course is to provide participants with a deep understanding of urban governance, public policy, and effective municipal management. Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Analyze the structure, powers, and intergovernmental relations of municipal governance.
• Apply policy analysis frameworks to define, evaluate, and recommend solutions to urban problems.
• Understand the political and economic context of municipal budgeting and finance.
• Navigate the roles and power dynamics of various urban stakeholders (e.g., elected officials, NGOs).
• Design and advocate for public policies that address complex issues like housing, equity, and climate.
• Understand the role of administrative law and the limits of municipal authority.
• Develop effective communication and negotiation strategies for policy implementation.

• Urban Planners and Policy Analysts
• Municipal Managers and Administrators
• Elected and Appointed Officials (e.g., Council Members, Board Members)
• Non-profit and Advocacy Leaders
• Government Relations Professionals
• Students in Public Administration or Political Science
• Community Development and Housing Authority Staff

• Case Studies of major policy debates and their political resolution in cities
• Group Activities: Developing a policy recommendation memo for a city council meeting
• Discussions on the ethical and political trade-offs in resource allocation
• Individual Exercises: Analyzing a municipal budget document and calculating fiscal ratios
• Guest speakers including former elected officials and senior city managers
• Role-playing scenarios: Navigating a multi-stakeholder negotiation on a controversial policy

Unit 1: Structures and Theories of Urban Governance

• Forms of city government (e.g., mayor-council, council-manager) and their implications
• Home rule and the legal delegation of authority from state to local government
• The role and function of appointed boards, commissions, and independent authorities
• Intergovernmental relations: managing policy and funding relationships with state/federal entities

• Pluralist, elite, and regime theories of urban political power
• The role of interest groups, advocacy coalitions, and organized labor in policy-making
• Understanding the political economy of urban development and policy choice
• The impact of electoral cycles and political campaigns on long-range planning

Unit 2: Public Policy Analysis and Process

• Defining public policy problems and setting clear, measurable objectives
• Applying analytical tools: cost-benefit analysis, comparative policy studies, and fiscal impact analysis
• The policy cycle: agenda setting, formulation, legitimation, implementation, and evaluation
• Addressing value conflicts and ethical dilemmas in policy recommendation

• Comparing policy instruments: regulation, subsidies, taxation, public provision, and information campaigns
• The challenge of effective policy implementation and bureaucratic discretion
• Monitoring policy outcomes, performance measurement, and adaptive management
• The role of policy narratives and framing in achieving public support

Unit 3: Municipal Finance and Budgeting

• The purpose and process of the annual municipal operating and capital budget
• Sources of local revenue (property taxes, sales taxes, fees, transfers) and their elasticity
• Understanding capital improvement programming (CIP) and long-term financial planning
• Fiscal stress, budget deficits, and strategies for managing municipal debt

• Principles of public sector management and performance-based management
• The role of human resources, collective bargaining, and public sector labor relations
• Procurement, contracting, and managing public-private partnerships (P3s)
• Fostering innovation and bureaucratic entrepreneurship within public service

Unit 4: Stakeholders and Political Dynamics

• Identifying, mapping, and analyzing the power and interests of key urban stakeholders
• Techniques for effective negotiation, coalition building, and conflict resolution
• The role of the media, social media, and communication in shaping policy debates
• Managing community opposition (NIMBYism) and building public consensus

• Standards of ethical conduct for public officials and staff (e.g., conflicts of interest)
• Open meeting laws, freedom of information, and promoting government transparency
• Mechanisms for citizen oversight and political accountability
• The role of advocacy and non-profit organizations in shaping the policy landscape

Unit 5: Contemporary Urban Policy Challenges

• In-depth policy analysis of key contemporary challenges: affordable housing and homelessness
• The politics and policy of climate change mitigation and adaptation at the local level
• Policy responses to social equity, policing, and community safety
• Strategies for local economic development and fiscal resilience