Reference Guides

The Charter Cities Institute is developing a set of reference guides for city developers and governments interested in building charter cities. These documents, including a Model Charter, a Governance Handbook, and Model Legislation, can serve as the foundation for those interested in building a charter city. The Charter Cities Institute is available to help implement these documents, as well as more general technical assistance. Please contact us if you are developing a charter city and interested in our services.
governance handbook

Governance Handbook

Charter cities are new cities with new rules. The Governance Handbook is the first comprehensive guide that lays out what these rules should be, and how they should be administered.

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Planning Guidelines

Urban planning is ultimately a dynamic process that must evolve as the needs of the city evolve. These guidelines provide an overview of how charter city planners can effectively create a charter city that generates sustained and inclusive economic growth.

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Industrial Strategy Guide

A charter city’s industrial strategy should evolve with its growth and should be aimed to foster integration and linkages with other businesses both within the local region and across the globe.

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state of charter cities

The State of Charter Cities 2021

Charter city projects are under construction and governments around the world are acting: the charter cities moment has arrived. This report first reviews both the past and present of the charter cities movement, and then lays out a vision as to where this movement is headed. This was written by Mark Lutter, Kurtis Lockhart, Jeffrey Mason, Carl Peterson, and Heba Elhanafy.

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