Planning for Equity

Capital improvement plans (CIPs) in part determine which capital projects will be funded, and that affects the quality of infrastructure and public services for communities. In any jurisdiction, the quality of capital and plans for capital improvement may vary from one neighborhood to another, and for neighborhoods made up of different ethnicities, races, and classes, service levels may differ for many years, creating long-term inequities. GFOA’s best practices recommend that “local, state, and provincial governments should establish a system for assessing their capital assets and then appropriately plan and budget for any capital maintenance and replacement needs. The recommended practices don’t include specific distribution or equity approaches—although some governments do. This study examines the CIPs of the 25 largest U.S. cities to determine the presence or absence of references to equity in the plan, along with common and exemplary practices. Many cities stress access in their CIPs, and some have major CIP goals that emphasize equity. Some analyze variations in service quality when making their investment decisions. Few emphasize resident participation. This article includes recommendations for cities that want to more fully integrate equity into their infrastructure planning.