I would suggest that we all get involved in how decisions are made in our local governments regarding the structure of our neighborhoods. It is a lot easier tha

I would suggest that we all get involved in how decisions are made in our local governments regarding the structure of our neighborhoods. It is a lot easier than you think. Recently I joined a community-based effort in Ann Arbor to create a large civic space / central park downtown. The city is planning to make downtown much more concentrated and I feel that hackers need to get involved in the process and make sure people are thinking about future needs. We've managed to change the direction of the discussion although it is still early in the game! http://annarborchronicle.com/2013/01/19/parks-group-to-weigh-in-on-downtown-needs/ http://annarborchronicle.com/2013/01/19/parks-group-to-weigh... Every municipality has a mayor, City Council, relevant departments, as well as assorted committees and development organizations. All you have to do is show up with some other neighbors and you are having a big influence. You can bet that real estate developers are involved, pushing their own plans and visions through. Are you?