American (and Global) Singapore(s): 60+ Cities (and Growing) with Success Stories to Inventory
A fortnight after launching our inventory project for American Singapore(s), we have more examples than expected! We've found 60+ counties, cities, and towns with examples of competent governance
Why it matters: These aren't just case studies — they're actual programs we can study and learn from.
The big picture: From Las Vegas cutting water use 47% to Houston slashing homelessness rates, cities across America are quietly solving problems we often think are unsolvable.
Here is the list of programs with the main (but not only) articles so far
Seven significant success clusters are emerging:
Water
Las Vegas grew while cutting water use by 47%
San Diego drought-proofed through diversification
Tucson's rainwater harvesting saved 52.1M gallons
Westminster, CO merged water/land use planning
Healdsburg made recycled water free for multiple uses
Washington County, Utah, pays residents to remove lawns
Napa transformed 2,000 lawns through "Cash for Grass."
Philadelphia is using mussels to clean waterways
Housing
Auburn, Maine, became a YIMBY champion through incremental reform
Minneapolis increased housing by 12% while keeping rent growth at 1%
San Diego's ADU bonus program created affordable units
Montgomery County, MD, built luxury-quality public housing
Buffalo eliminated parking requirements, boosting the development
Boulder loosened ADU regulations, expanding housing stock
New Zealand's national upzoning showed what's possible
Education
Cherry Creek built its own teacher pipeline
Work colleges eliminated tuition through student labor
Louisiana grew its own rural teachers
UTeach program successfully mints STEM teachers
Bethlehem, PA, improved reading scores through science-based instruction
Orange County Classical Academy succeeded with Singapore Math
Brazosport ISD covers costs for teacher apprentices
Infrastructure
Carmel, Indiana, went all-in on roundabouts, saving $28M annually
Rochester removed a highway and generated $200M in investment
Kansas City's LED upgrade is cutting energy costs
Hoboken built parks that double as flood control
Frankfurt designs buildings to preserve cooling wind corridors
Amsterdam's "smart" blue-green roofs reduce flooding
Vienna prepared itself for a 5,000-year flood
Public Life
Houston's homeless program cut numbers by two-thirds
New Orleans streamlined emergency response
Dallas's BAM/WOW programs cut youth crime rates
London's emissions zone got more kids walking to school
Queens implemented "daylighting" to save pedestrian lives
Healthcare
New Hampshire's ANEW program trains rural nurse practitioners
Oxford County recruits veterans for healthcare roles
Amador County built a mental health worker pipeline
McDowell County created incentives to attract doctors
North Carolina developed rural healthcare recruitment strategies
Maine DOL streamlined medical certification for veterans
Rhode Island subsidizes childcare for healthcare workers
Climate Adaptation
Los Angeles tested cool pavement to reduce heat
Dallas saw 10-degree drops from reflective surfaces
Philadelphia's oyster reefs protect against storms
"Sponge cities" in China prevent flooding
Beaufort's living shorelines absorb wave energy
NYC's oyster castles build natural barriers
Miyawaki forests help cool urban areas
What's Next
Creating an initial "Awesome List" with detailed documentation
Developing our project management approach
Gathering additional verified examples
Preparing for initial outreach and interviews in early 2025
But this inventory is just the beginning. Our larger mission is to:
Collect key operational artifacts (SOPs, training materials, project plans)
Build standardized templates and frameworks for each success pattern
Create modular, reusable components from proven solutions
Develop a practical library of implementation tools
Think of it as an open-source governance toolkit: We're not just cataloging success stories; we're finding as much information and guidance on " implementing" those success cases and breaking them down into reusable components that other cities can adapt and implement as they see fit.
The goal isn't just to document what works but also to facilitate the replication and customization of these successes for others' communities.
Help Us Grow
We're actively seeking more examples of competent governance at any scale - from neighborhoods to regions. Our early leads suggest many more success stories are waiting to be documented.
Bottomline: Good governance solutions exist across America (and the rest of the world) — from tiny towns to major metros. Our challenge isn't just finding what works; it's spreading it.
Want to volunteer? Email ddeek@population.news