Cities Make the Sharing Economy Work: New Report on Sharing Economy Examines Impact on U.S. Cities

News provided by

Mar 10, 2015, 04:19 ET

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --From innovation to equity to safety, the sharing economy is impacting cities in a variety of ways that communities do business. The National League of Cities (NLC) today released a new report, Cities, the Sharing Economy and What's Next, analyzing how the sharing economy impacts five key areas: innovation, economic development, equity, safety and implementation. The report builds on NLC's efforts to help city leaders better understand, encourage and regulate the growing sharing economy.

"One of the true innovations of cities is the ability to experiment and come up with unique, locally-driven solutions to new challenges," said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities. "This is especially true in emerging industries such as the sharing economy. There is an enormous potential to empower our communities with innovative new approaches to doing business."

With the surge in "collaborative consumption" companies, traditional industries are being upended with the growth of innovative sharing economy models that do not neatly fit into existing local regulatory environments. This report analyzes what is happening in cities now and offers best practices for city leaders.

NLC found that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to regulating the sharing economy. Moreover, the research revealed that disruptive technologies and new business models will continue to present challenges to cities.

"Cities make the sharing economy work," said Brooks Rainwater, director of City Solutions and Applied Research at the National League of Cities. "'Cities, the Sharing Economy and What's Next' provides an analysis of what is currently happening in U.S. cities on the ground, in order to assist city leaders as they seek to make sense of the sharing economy."

In 2014, NLC launched the Sharing Economy Advisory Network composed of businesses, policy leaders and city officials to promote model solutions that identify the regulatory challenges posed by the disruptive technologies that power the sharing economy. The Network is identifying ways that cities can support and encourage the growth of new businesses in this space.

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081022/NLCLOGO

SOURCE National League of Cities