Recently, there has been renewed interest in engaging citizens locally. While political motivations vary, a common goal is to enhance participation and representation by creating formal bodies of community representatives to play an advisory role in policy processes. This paper integrates implementation feasibility and participatory theories to develop a theoretical framework for assessing the implementation of public participation mechanisms. It applies this framework in an analysis of Detroit, which adopted a charter-mandated Community Advisory Council system within the new city council districts in 2012. The research illuminates the limitations of Detroit's system, explaining why citywide implementation continues to lag. The findings underscore the importance of cohesive statutory objectives, institutional reform that supports the coordinated efforts of city agents, clarity of decision rules, dedicated city resources, and commitment on the part of community, political, and administrative leaders in such reforms.
Jun et al. (Tue,) studied this question.