News From the Top

Retreat? No, Propel! May 7, 2024 - We all hold them with our respective teams and board – retreats. I’m not certain why we call them that, since we are in no way pulling back, evacuating or…
Walking In Memphis May 2, 2024 - The IDA membership has journeyed to the soulful city of Memphis to learn from years of rebuilding and repairing community in a more equitable way. In addition to its rich…
You Can Make Good Things Happen April 24, 2024 - For an industry that prides itself on getting, er, stuff done, Washington, DC, can be a confounding place. It can take months, or years even, to pass laws. Regulatory bodies…
Lessons from the past April 18, 2024 - The advent of smart growth appeared in the late nineties upon the realization that constant expansion into suburban and rural areas would prove to be, among other things, fiscally unsustainable.…
The value of IDA’s values April 4, 2024 - I've been a part of the IDA world for over 20 years now in some capacity. Like all of us, I get absorbed by my own organization and have periods…
What do you value? March 28, 2024 - Do you know what you value? Does your organization have clear values? Do you know the values of the organizations that you work with? Does it even matter? I would…
US Supreme Court to hear homeless encampment case March 7, 2024 - Among the many roles place management leaders play in their work the most sensitive is that of diplomat: balancing the needs and interests of a diverse range of stakeholders in…
Do you trust me? February 22, 2024 - I would argue that trust is the single most critical component of the work we do and one of the most difficult to achieve. What is trust? There are plenty…
IDA Advocacy: Be a Force for Your Downtown February 8, 2024 - Since we became co-chairs of IDA’s US Government Relations Committee last year, we’ve been blown away by how many downtown leaders have shared with us their excitement about IDA’s increased…
One Down – 11 To Go February 1, 2024 - It's incredible to imagine that we've already seen the month of January disappear, as if time is slipping away before our eyes. Yes, time is precious. Parents reminisce about how…