The Housing Crisis that we have been helping many communities, states, and regions tackle has finally garnered Congressional attention and ACTION! An overwhelming level of bipartisan action has been taken, and I have not been so excited about a piece of legislation in a long time. Let me tell you why. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act has officially cleared Congress and became law on July 11th, 2026. For local governments, regional planners, and community developers, this

We asked Tanner a few questions about his role, how it builds on his past professional experiences, and what he’s excited to accomplish at Fourth Economy this year.

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the toolkit for community engagement. In the past year alone, I have seen local governments, planning agencies, consultants, and nonprofit organizations begin experimenting with AI to summarize public comments, identify themes across surveys, draft outreach materials, translate content, and support public participation efforts. The enthusiasm is understandable. Anyone who has managed a community engagement process knows the