District Regionalism is a finance related urban planning method. The practice creates a neighborhood stock system in which community shares are sold. The term "District Regionalism" was initially used by the administration of the city of Guthrie, Kentucky

Guthrie, Kentucky

Guthrie is a city in Todd County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,469 at the 2000 census. The city is named for James Guthrie, president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad when the city was incorporated in 1867.-Geography:...

 in describing the city as traits of each neighborhood emerged during the trial study. The University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...

's College of Design became instrumental in devising the study concept, parameters and goals. http://www.guthrieky.com The practice concerns organizing cities into smaller communities by allowing creating and distinctive regional and cultural references emerge within neighborhoods by allowing the public to transform what is typically considered as government owned areas and blight properties. The practice has proven to alter larger sprawling co-dependant cities into smaller self-reliant communities through the use of .

Share System

Community shares are sold in District Regionalist environments. As a community is defined by boundaries and image, the collective population of that community places forth shares with monetary value. Initially, stock ownership is given to the community in order to promote the process. An increased number of shares allows a larger amount of voting privileges within that community, therefore allowing some margin within city ordinances and zoning. As more community shares are sold, the pool increases for that community allowing them greater ability to project that money towards community projects. In a District Regionalist community, the city never loses over 51% of shares, allowing the city government to retain rights to city property and have majority rule voting privileges. As improvements are made to community properties, land values increase and improve the value of private properties within those districts. Cities can also use the community district funding pool to match grants at the discretion of a district's approval. The share system operates on the premise that communities will care for what they own, as opposed to caring for properties owned by cities.