Urban planning discussion group

At present the development of Russian cities and improvement in the quality of urban environment clashes with a number of radical issues, including the absence of resources available to the cities, short-term planning, the gap separating urban residents from the municipal management process, and the absence of public institutions responsible for development strategies. As a result, the successful development of a city depends on accidental factors and in many ways relies on the personality of the mayor or governor, on the quality of their interaction with federal politicians.

• How could we create a management mechanism that would allow for the development of long-term urban development strategies, taking into consideration all stakeholders’ interests and resulting in real positive changes in urban environment?
• How could local communities and non-government organizations be involved in the process of managing Russian cities?
• What institutions will help depersonalize urban development, and are we to strive for this depersonalization?