Citi IO features James and Deborah Fallows in their April 29, 2019 article, “How Cities Became the new Laboratory of Democracy.” The Fallowses are cited for the numerous urban success stories in Our Towns supporting the theory that problem-solving is much more effective on the local than the national level.

The common strand author Alan Ehrenhalt found most compelling in the cities visited is the presence of collaboration — collaboration between local elected officials, chambers of commerce, universities, foundations, and other nonprofits to formulate ambitious plans and see them through.