ABSTRACT
In advanced economies, urban populations have been declining while urbanized spaces continue expanding in a significant way. The spatial expansion of urban regions is an obstacle to the supply of affordable housing and accessible jobs, as well as a challenge to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. The increasing costs of commuting have been answered by the construction of yet more highways. Under the constraints of globalization, demographic change, changing consumer behavior, and environmental stress, manifold planning and regulation dilemmas emerge at the local level. Since the 1980s, urban governance has seen an increase in administrative and managerial power, a steady loss of democratic influence, and a lack of citizen involvement. However, it is quite clear that city authorities, and public policy in general, can no longer keep pace with the momentum of change and the associated challenges. The fiscal solvency of local governments has begun to erode after a period of political fragmentation, no-growth policies, physical and functional sprawl outside and decay within urban regions, and exponentially increasing real estate prices relative to local purchasing power.
