Sub-local forms of governments (private community associations, business improvement districts, etc) have been on the rise throughout America the past thirty years. Sub-local governments can specialize and otherwise more effectively address urban problems that have defied the efforts of conventional city governments. Professor Nelson joins us on the podcast to discuss what the rise in more localized systems means for city and urban governance and the provision of public goods at various levels of government.

Robert Nelson is a Professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy and a Senior Scholar at the Mercatus Center. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Dr. Nelson worked in a variety of government posts addressing public policy in the areas of the environment, industry, and land use policy.