01
USAGov (U.S. General Services Administration)
Local Governments
Pick your state to reach an official or state-affiliated directory of city, county, and town governments.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →Topic guide
Government & Nonprofit Resources
Half the battle in community work is finding the right door. A broken streetlight, a vacant house, a proposed rezoning, and a shortage of affordable rentals may all be handled by different offices, and sometimes by different levels of government. Calling the wrong one costs weeks; calling the right one, politely and with specifics, often gets results.
The good news is that the system is more navigable than it looks. Most local problems start at city hall or the county courthouse. Regional councils and transportation planning organizations handle issues that cross borders. States and federal agencies mostly set rules and send money through local partners. And a network of extension offices, community action agencies, and national nonprofits exists specifically to help community groups. This guide shows you how to find each one where you live.
- 01
Figure out which level of government owns the problem
As a rough rule, cities, towns, and villages handle zoning, local streets, code enforcement, parks, and permits inside their limits. Counties usually keep property and tax records, run courts and public health, and often handle land use in unincorporated areas; in some states townships share those jobs. States set the laws local governments work under and maintain state highways. Federal agencies mostly fund and regulate through state and local partners. If you are near a city's edge, check whether the city, the county, or both have a say, and when in doubt ask one office to refer you to the right one.
- 02
Find your local planning, code, and housing offices
Start from your city or county website, or the state-by-state local government directory at USA.gov, and look for planning or community development, building and code enforcement, and housing. Learn each office's role: planning staff explain zoning and upcoming plans, code inspectors respond to property-condition complaints, and the community development office usually manages federal housing and neighborhood funds. Property owner records are typically at the county assessor or recorder. Rental assistance vouchers run through a local public housing authority, which may be separate from city hall.
- 03
Look regionally for problems that cross boundaries
Many areas are served by a regional council, council of governments, or regional planning commission that works across cities and counties on planning, aging services, economic development, or grant administration. In metropolitan areas of more than 50,000 people, a designated metropolitan planning organization is responsible for transportation planning and helps decide how federal transportation money is spent. These bodies are good places to learn who is working on an issue, find regional data, and track where large public investments are going.
- 04
Call on technical-assistance providers
Every state has cooperative extension offices run through its land-grant universities, which can help with leadership training, facilitation, rural development, and making sense of data. Community action agencies, more than 1,000 nationwide and funded in part through the federal Community Services Block Grant, connect people to emergency help and often run housing, energy, and job programs. Nearby colleges, nonprofit training centers, and the local United Way can also supply facilitators, students, or workshops.
- 05
Connect with trusted national networks before starting something new
Before founding a new organization, check whether someone already does the work. National networks such as NeighborWorks America, your state association of nonprofits, statewide associations of community development corporations, and the Community Action Partnership can tell you who is active nearby and offer training and templates. Have a short, specific description of the need ready, because each contact will ask for it and may refer you onward.
- 06
Build working relationships and follow the decisions
Once you know the right offices, invest in them. Invite key staff and your elected representative to your meetings, keep them informed, give credit generously, and bring clear evidence when you have a problem. When public money is involved, ask the finance or budget office how much was received, how much has been spent, and where, and follow the referrals until you reach someone who knows. Save confrontation for when relationship-building has truly failed.
Questions to bring
- Is our address inside city limits, in an unincorporated county area, or in a township, and which body handles zoning and code enforcement for it?
- Which office manages our community's federal housing and community development funds, and when are its public hearings?
- What regional council or metropolitan planning organization covers us, and how can residents comment on its plans?
- Who is our county's extension contact for community development or leadership training?
- Is there already an organization working on this issue in our area that we should join or partner with?
- Who on the mayor's, manager's, or council member's staff handles neighborhood concerns?
What changes where you live
Almost everything here varies. States decide what powers cities, counties, and townships have; whether a city can regulate land just outside its limits; whether counties zone at all; and how regional councils are organized. Some places have consolidated city-county governments, others have strong townships, and many rural areas rely on the county and the state for most services. To find the controlling rule, start with your city or county code of ordinances (usually posted online), ask the planning or clerk's office which body has jurisdiction over your address, and check your state's municipal league or association of counties for plain-language guides to how local government works in your state.
Current national resources
02
National Association of Regional Councils (NARC)
National Association of Regional Councils
Learn what regional councils and metropolitan planning organizations do and find research and contacts for regional cooperation.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →03
Extension Foundation
Find Extension in Your State
A state-by-state directory of land-grant and tribal college Cooperative Extension services, which lead you to your county extension office.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →04
Community Action Partnership
Find a Community Action Agency
Search by ZIP code, county, state, or service to find your local community action agency and your state association and CSBG contacts.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →05
NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America
Find nearby members of its national network of housing and community development nonprofits and its training for practitioners and resident leaders.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →06
National Council of Nonprofits
Find Your State Association of Nonprofits
Locate your state association of nonprofits for training, templates, and advice on starting and running a community organization.
Link checked October 28, 2026Open resource →From the library
Guide · Organizations & leadership
Emphasize Good Local Government Relations
A program of positive local government relations helps neighborhoods or community organizations increase the likelihood of a responsive city hall. Here’s how.Guide · Planning, zoning & codes
An Overview of How Code Enforcement Can Help You Make and Keep a Good Community
The code enforcement overview describes why and how local governments use this tool to obtain compliance with local ordinances. Typical flow is explained.Guide · Housing & revitalization
Government Housing Assistance Overview
Learn how each major government housing assistance program can help you find solutions for your community.Guide · Organizations & leadership
Local Community Action Agencies Offer Poverty Aid
Community action agencies are private organizations relying on Community Service Block Grant funds to craft poverty programs. Learn how to evaluate them.Visitor question · Economic & rural development
Is There a List of Current CDCs
Reviewed: May 31, 2024 Visitor Question: Is there a list of current CDCs? A central registry? How do I find out whether the need I want to address isGuide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Regional Governance Structure Impacts Quality of Life for Neighborhoods
Learn how regional governance, the quality of the decision making in a metro area, influences what happens in your neighborhood.Visitor question · Planning, zoning & codes
What does planning term ETJ mean
Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: Our medium-sized city is updating our comprehensive plan. I went to a hearing and a work session and jottedVisitor question · Housing & revitalization
Locating Vacant Properties and Owners
Visitor Question: HOW DO I LOCATE VACANT PROPERTIES AND THEIR OWNERS (IN ORANGE COUNTY, CA)? THANK YOU. Editors' Reply: We don't know of a foolproof wayGuide · Organizations & leadership
How to Fight City Hall, or a Village or Town Board
Learning how to fight city hall is a skill that community organizations must master. Respectfully challenge local government with both facts and emotion.Guide · Organizations & leadership
Why Start a Community Development Corporation
Start a community development corporation (CDC) to advance vital work in housing, economic development, social programs, and clean-up.
Original guidance from A Good Community: How to Make and Keep It, owned and edited by Nancy Thompson (formerly Useful Community Development), shared with permission. Community Compass notes and updates are our own and have not been reviewed by Nancy Thompson.
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