Los Angeles is not the first city to create a Capital Infrastructure Program.
Over the past year, Investing in Place reviewed capital planning practices from more than 30 cities across North America to better understand how large cities plan, fund, and manage public infrastructure.
No two cities approach capital planning in exactly the same way. But several themes emerged consistently.
1. Make Participation Easy
The best capital planning processes are understandable and accessible to the public.
Residents should be able to see what projects are planned, how decisions are made, and where investments are occurring.
2. Give Communities a Real Role
Public engagement is important, but many cities go further by creating formal structures that allow residents to help shape priorities and investments.
3. Build on Existing Plans
Successful capital plans do not start from scratch.
They connect adopted plans, policies, and community priorities into a shared investment strategy.
4. Coordinate Across Departments
Infrastructure systems cross organizational boundaries.
Cities that plan effectively create structures for regular coordination among departments responsible for transportation, public works, utilities, parks, and other infrastructure.
5. Fund Outcomes
The strongest plans begin with desired outcomes and then align budgets to achieve them.
6. Prioritize Equity
Many cities use explicit criteria to help direct investments toward communities with the greatest need.
7. Understand Infrastructure Conditions
Asset inventories and condition assessments provide the information necessary to make informed decisions and plan for long-term maintenance.
8. Identify Unfunded Needs
Several cities maintain lists of unfunded priorities to help guide future investments and improve readiness for grant opportunities.
9. Connect Capital and Operating Budgets
Building infrastructure is only part of the equation.
Long-term maintenance and operations must also be considered.
10. Plan for Resilience
Infrastructure investments should help cities prepare for climate change, extreme weather, and future challenges.
What We Learned
The most important lesson from other cities is simple:
Planning matters.
Cities that maintain strong infrastructure systems generally have clear priorities, transparent decision-making processes, long-term plans, and regular coordination across departments.
Los Angeles has the opportunity to build these foundations while creating its first Capital Infrastructure Program.
The goal is not to copy another city.
The goal is to learn from their experience and develop an approach that reflects the scale, complexity, and needs of Los Angeles.
Our research continues, but one conclusion is already clear: a Capital Infrastructure Program can help Los Angeles make smarter, more transparent, and more coordinated decisions about the public assets residents rely on every day.
