Place Branding and Its Discontents: The Politics and Management of Neighborhood Governance Systems.

This article examines how neighborhood governance systems in thirty-five major U.S. cities influence place branding, defined as the process by which local stakeholders claim, name, and promote their neighborhoods to shape public perception. It finds that municipal approaches to neighborhood governance vary widely in formality and flexibility, creating a persistent tension between empowering residents and managing branding activities. Formal systems often incentivize branding through official recognition and resources, potentially privileging more affluent, organized groups, while informal or flexible systems avoid defining neighborhood boundaries but risk allowing real estate interests to dominate place identity. The study highlights equity challenges inherent in both approaches and suggests that neighborhood governance structures alone do not resolve disparities in resident participation or influence over urban space.