Vital City

is a journal about urban policy, politics, data and culture.

Layers of torn posters on a wall, one showing an eye

Crime

The State of Crime in New York City, Midyear 2026: The Detailed Picture

Vital City, Paul Reeping Aug. 25 2026

A row of bike racks on a city sidewalk, the rightmost rack twisted out of shape

Just Fix It

13 Fixes for New York City Government That Go Beyond the Charter

Vital City Aug. 19 2026

Several office chairs sit outside an office building, with some stacked upside down on top of others

Just Fix It

What Mamdani's Efficiency Commission Got Right — and Where it Fell Short

Vital City Jul. 23 2026

Mayor Mamdani speaks with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch

Crime

Crime in New York City Midyear: The Big Picture

Vital City Jul. 02 2026

Attendees react at Rent Guidelines Board meeting in which appointees voted for a two-year freeze.

Housing

After the Rent Freeze: What Happens to New York City’s Regulated Housing Stock Now and in the Future

Vital City Jun. 26 2026

Three people working on their laptops gather at a table in their office behind a glass wall with a row of four white dots imprinted on it; the dots obscure their faces

Technology

What AI Can Do for Cities

Vital City Jun. 24 2026

Different varieties of apples laid out on a table at a farmer's market

Economics

The New York City Economy: A Data Story

Vital City Jun. 10 2026

A boy sits on a bench selling cotton candy of various colors from a rack while people dine at picnic tables under tarps behind hi

Economics

Voices of the City: The Economy

Vital City Jun. 10 2026

A vendor reaches toward a customer at a nighttime food cart

Street Lighting

The Big Picture

Vital City May. 20 2026

A nighttime aerial view of a New York City residential street

Street Lighting

How to Get It Done

Vital City May. 20 2026

People walk through falling snow on a wet city street at night

Street Lighting

Where 311 Lighting Complaints and Crime Overlap: An Interactive Map

Vital City May. 20 2026

Storefronts on Essex Street in New York City's Chinatown are lit up at night as two people walk by, one with a bike and one with an umbrella

Street Lighting

The Research on Street Lighting and Crime

Vital City May. 20 2026

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