The practice of regulating land use through zoning ordinances has been a part of American society since the early 20th century. Zoning and other planning practices are often viewed as cumbersome bureaucratic nonsense that needlessly regulates the height of our fences or the width of our houses. In reality, however, these regulations are the tools for the implementation of public policies that dictate the very make-up of our communities.

Local city government is always where policy meets reality. And ironically, local city government is the place where the deficits of the public administration system are most glaring. One policy that has surfaced over the last decades is the use of historic preservation ordinances and policy to help alleviate the problems affecting economically depressed areas of urban and rural communities.

The shortage of skilled labor will be a continual concern of the construction industry especially for the next 3-5 years. Technology will play a key role in developing a new workforce and increasing efficiency in product delivery.