https://www.judpm.ir/ Urban Development Policy Making en daily 1 Fri, 01 Jan 2027 00:00:00 +0330 Fri, 01 Jan 2027 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.judpm.ir/article_231061.html The presence of permanent rivers or seasonal streams in populated areas or in the vicinity of large cities such as Tehran, Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz, in addition to creating opportunities for urban development, should always be considered as a potential threat in terms of risks and damages caused by floods. The presence of 5 important and flood rivers in Khuzestan Province and the location of the metropolis of Ahvaz and some important cities in the vicinity of these rivers shows that floods are always lurking in the shadows of entering these cities. 60 years of experience in water resources management in Khuzestan Province has led to integrated and more accurate flood management, which can be introduced as a suitable model for the flood management process in cities located in the vicinity of rivers or streams. In the April 2019 flood in the Khuzestan region, the effective use of data, information, and model output, along with the correct analysis of various scenarios, resulted in the maximum flow rate of the Karun River in the Ahvaz section not exceeding 3,200 m3/s. This was while, based on mathematical models and field evidence, if the aforementioned measures were not implemented, the flow rate in the Ahvaz section would have exceeded 5,000 m3/s, causing financial and human losses. In this article, which was conducted in a descriptive-analytical manner after collecting and processing data, based on the lessons learned and experiences gained from the management of the aforementioned flood, the role of the Water and Energy Observatory in predicting and reducing flood risks in the period before, during, and after the flood is presented as an efficient model. https://www.judpm.ir/article_235945.html Given the population growth and the increasing demand for water, driven by factors such as climate change and evolving consumption patterns, efforts have shifted towards the utilization of unconventional water resources. In this context, the Municipality of Tehran has initiated a project aimed at supplying the water required for irrigating green spaces from surface runoff and treated municipal wastewater. In the present study, the water demand for both urban and peri-urban green spaces in Tehran was first calculated. Subsequently, the potential for utilizing effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants and runoff flowing through urban channels as an alternative to groundwater resources for irrigating green spaces was examined, taking into account both quantitative (flow rate) and qualitative (effluent analysis) characteristics. Based on the research findings, the Municipality of Tehran can proactively reduce raw water consumption for urban green space irrigation from 73% to 32% over a ten-year period by designing and implementing a comprehensive project for the treatment and reuse of urban runoff and treated municipal wastewater, while increasing the share of runoff and treated wastewater usage from approximately 15.6% to 64%. Furthermore, to further reduce water consumption, methods for aquifer recharge using runoff can be employed for more efficient utilization, along with modifying urban green space development patterns to decrease water demand as additional strategies for water conservation. Ultimately, this initiative has the potential to play a pivotal role in replenishing groundwater resources, thereby providing a more sustainable future for water supply in the city of Tehran. https://www.judpm.ir/article_238154.html With increasing urbanization and mounting pressure on the financial resources of cities—especially in developing countries—it is vital to develop innovative urban investment models. This study adopts a comparative approach to analyze successful urban investment practices in countries with advanced urban economies, such as Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Japan. Drawing on these case studies, the research aims to present a localized policy framework for the Municipality of Tehran. Amid rapid urbanization (urban population rising from 35% in 1950 to over 55% in 2015 and projected to reach 66% by 2050), many cities face severe fiscal constraints. Although Tehran’s municipal revenues grew from 84,617 billion rials in 2011 to 2,056,589 billion rials in 2025, the share of financing through investment has remained marginal—averaging just 1.2% over fourteen years, with a peak of only 3% in 2012. This underscores the need for more effective investment strategies. The study identifies four key components of successful urban investment: (1) institutional and legal frameworks, (2) innovative financial instruments, (3) stakeholder collaboration, and (4) data-driven governance. Based on these pillars, it proposes the "Smart Investable City Model" for Tehran. This model aims to increase investment-based financing, enhance financial self-reliance, and promote participatory, transparent development. https://www.judpm.ir/article_236371.html Increasing water stress resulting from population growth, urban development, and climate change has intensified the need to pay greater attention to water recycling and reuse in Tehran. This study employs SWOT and QSPM models, with a focus on the role of the Tehran Municipality, to analyze the internal and external factors influencing water recycling governance. Data was collected through document analysis and expert interviews. The results indicate that Tehran possesses considerable technical and research capacities; however, weaknesses in integrated governance, limited financial resources, and low social acceptance constitute the main barriers to the development of these policies. The QSPM analysis shows that competitive (ST) strategies are the most attractive; in particular, partnerships with the private sector to enhance treatment plant efficiency and attract international financial resources ranked highest. Moreover, the formulation of national standards for reclaimed water quality and the establishment of economic incentives are considered key supportive strategies. Accordingly, strengthening institutional coordination, developing sustainable financial instruments, and enhancing public awareness can facilitate the transition from a purely technical management approach to sustainable and participatory urban water governance. https://www.judpm.ir/article_235946.html This study reviews and analyzes methods for producing freshwater in urban systems, focusing on water harvesting from fog, a method that allows sustainable water supply without consuming energy in the production phase. Using the PRISMA approach, 20 selected studies were selected for the final analysis from 215 studies. The results show that most of the early research focused on collector geometry and was limited to simultaneous consideration of material properties, long-term durability, spatial analysis, and long-term operational data. Recent studies have focused on novel materials, biomimetic design, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence modeling to increase system efficiency and sustainability. Passive fog collection systems can produce an average of 1.5 to 10 liters per square meter per day of water, and on an urban scale, replacing part of the water consumption can generate significant energy savings. The findings of this study can provide a clear path for future research and show policymakers the possibility of utilizing new capacities for sustainable urban water supply. https://www.judpm.ir/article_228837.html Article examines and analyzes the requirements for implementing participatory governance in urban management, with a specific emphasis on the practical experience of the “I am the Mayor” project within Tehran Municipality. Employing an analytical approach based on an extensive review of library resources, scientific articles, and reports on urban and governmental management, this research evaluates global perspectives and experiences in participatory governance and public participation in city administration. The qualitative data analysis relies on logical reasoning, comparative analysis, and textual evidence. Key findings indicate that a fundamental pillar of participatory governance is governmental openness, enabling citizens to actively engage in decision-making processes through transparency, participation, and accountability. Furthermore, successful implementation necessitates a robust two-way communication system between the government and citizens. The acceptance of civic roles by the populace is identified as a crucial requirement for participatory governance. Finally, citizen budgeting, a novel approach in urban management that highlights citizens’ active involvement in resource allocation and financial decision-making, is presented as another vital element of governmental openness. In this context, the “I am the Mayor Project” stands out as a pioneering and unique experience in implementing participatory governance in Tehran. The study’s outcomes are also applicable to cities with political and social backgrounds similar to Tehran. By scrutinizing the project’s successes and challenges, the article proposes solutions for generalizing and enhancing participatory governance processes in urban management. https://www.judpm.ir/article_238156.html This paper addresses the critical challenges of water scarcity in the Iranian capital. Unlike many global metropolises, Tehran was not originally established in proximity to sufficient water resources. The excessive concentration of socio-economic, cultural, and political activities has been the primary driver of rapid population growth and uncontrolled urban sprawl, placing local water supplies under severe stress. Consequently, Tehran has evolved into a city chronically dependent on inter-basin water transfers. This study demonstrates that centralization and unchecked population growth are the paramount factors exacerbating the water crisis. Despite a provincial population exceeding 14 million (approximately 9 million within the city), the province's water carrying capacity is estimated at only 2.5 million people. This demographic overburden has resulted in Tehran—hosting 11% of the national population—consuming nearly 17% of the country’s total urban water. Rather than advocating for supply-side expansion, this article emphasizes consumption management, demand-side strategies, and efficiency enhancement. The proposed strategies include halting new developmental loads, reducing existing pressures, managing demand drivers, and improving water use efficiency. Ultimately, the paper concludes that Tehran's water crisis is a national challenge requiring a decisive national commitment. Decentralization and population relocation are proposed as the fundamental long-term solutions to the capital's water insecurity. https://www.judpm.ir/article_236052.html This study compares the investment attractiveness of Tehran metropolis with leading global capitals and analyzes the main barriers at the structural, economic, institutional, environmental, and political levels using international data. The results show that Tehran, despite its potential capacities, faces a serious gap in investment attraction and competitiveness due to the deterioration of infrastructure, economic instability, regulatory complexity, environmental problems, and sanctions. The construction-oriented approach and the heavy dependence of urban income on fees have made development unproductive and unbalanced. The DEMATEL method was used to measure the causal relationships between barriers. The findings show that structural barriers are the most effective and economic and institutional barriers are the most effective factors. Also, “ignoring environmental sustainability” and “sanctions” were identified as causal factors and “low quality of life” as the most important consequence. These results highlight the need to shift from a short-term revenue-generating approach to productive investment and institutional reforms to enhance sustainability and investment attractiveness in Tehran. https://www.judpm.ir/article_235942.html This study aims to strategically analyze the position and role of municipalities in urban water resources management and achieving sustainable development. In this study, the framework of laws and regulations related to water resources management, including urban planning laws, green space, pollution control, and efficient consumption regulations, was first examined. Then, the proposed policies and measures were analyzed in four main areas, including urban development, climate-friendly design and architecture, zoning policies, and intersectoral cooperation. In the next step, the capacities of municipalities in the field of water consumption management, advertising and culture building, financial instruments, and participatory mechanisms were described. A comparative assessment of international experiences from countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, and Brazil showed that the most successful models are a combination of transparent governance, smart technology, green infrastructure, and public participation. The results of the study indicate that the urban water crisis in Iran is caused by weak multi-level governance, deteriorating infrastructure, and a lack of a culture of sustainable consumption. Municipalities can become the main axis of the transition to sustainable urban water resources management by reforming urban development policies, implementing land use regulations based on water indicators, integrating monitoring systems, and redesigning the financial model. The study ultimately proposes a three-stage implementation framework (short-term, medium-term, long-term) for Iranian cities that is designed based on data-driven governance, intergenerational planning, and climate resilience. https://www.judpm.ir/article_238795.html Attracting investment in urban management projects is a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and improving the quality of life in megacities. Focusing on the experience of Tehran Municipality and applying the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) approach, this study identifies and analyzes the key implementation barriers to investment attraction. Data were collected through the review of official documents, bylaws, internal reports, and previous studies, and were categorized using thematic analysis into four main dimensions. The findings indicate that the most critical barriers include the absence of a comprehensive legal framework for PPP, institutional fragmentation and the lack of a central coordinating body, limited use of innovative financing instruments and overreliance on traditional methods, as well as weak public trust and negative attitudes toward private sector participation. A comparison with the World Bank’s PPP Reference Guide shows that the majority of challenges stem from institutional and legal gaps relative to international standards. Accordingly, policy recommendations include legal and institutional reforms, the establishment of an independent PPP authority, the development of innovative financial instruments such as Islamic finance, and the enhancement of transparency and public trust to strengthen the system of investment attraction. By combining local experiences from Tehran Municipality with international theoretical frameworks, this article proposes practical and policy-oriented pathways for improving the investment process in urban management in Iran. https://www.judpm.ir/article_235947.html The Historic Khorramabad Valley, one of Iran’s oldest human settlements and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds exceptional natural and cultural tourism potential, yet faces barriers in infrastructure, marketing, and planning. This study aimed to determine the optimal combination of tourism infrastructure, destination marketing, and cultural-recreational events to maximize tourist attraction using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Central Composite Design. The sample included 101 tourism practitioners in Lorestan, assessed via a 9-point Likert questionnaire under hypothetical scenarios. The quadratic model (R² = 0.9638) was optimal. Results revealed marketing with the strongest linear effect (coefficient 1.23), infrastructure with positive quadratic effect (increasing returns), and events with negative quadratic effect (diminishing returns beyond optimum). A positive marketing-events interaction indicated synergy. The optimal mix infrastructure and marketing at level 9, events at 8.015 yielded 7.98 attraction. Findings underscore the need for integrated, data-driven sustainable tourism planning. Recommendations include forming an inter-sectoral steering committee, phased infrastructure investment, smart marketing, and optimized event management. https://www.judpm.ir/article_238581.html Performance evaluation in modern public management systems is not merely an administrative control tool; rather, it serves as a mechanism for enhancing transparency, accountability, and organizational learning. The present study aims to examine the impact of performance evaluation indicators used across the twenty-two districts of the Tehran Municipality on the dimensions of organizational transparency (informational, procedural, and accountability-related). This research is applied in nature and employs a descriptive–analytical approach. Data were collected through a combination of documentary studies, semi-structured interviews with evaluation managers, and specialized questionnaires. The relationships among the variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS software. The results of the model indicate a positive and significant relationship between organizational performance and transparency. Specifically, the “Management Development and Smart Governance” indicator has a substantial effect on informational transparency (β = 0.54), while the “Citizen Feedback” indicator exerts the strongest influence on accountability transparency (β = 0.62). Nevertheless, the lack of integration among the indicators and the limited public dissemination of evaluation results hinder the realization of full institutional transparency. The analytical findings suggest that the performance evaluation system of the Tehran Municipality remains confined to a hierarchical control stage and has not yet developed the capacity for organizational learning or open-data governance. Accordingly, transitioning from a control-oriented model to a learning-oriented and participatory model based on open data can pave the way for sustainable transparency and enhanced public trust in Tehran’s urban management. https://www.judpm.ir/article_240721.html In recent years, the increasing complexity of administrative processes and the expansion of organizational data have highlighted the need for intelligent and data-driven monitoring in urban management. This study aimed to design a contextual model of intelligent monitoring for Tehran Municipality. Adopting a qualitative approach based on grounded theory, the research identified the conditions, strategies, and outcomes of implementing intelligent monitoring. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, including city managers, monitoring and administrative health experts, IT specialists, and data governance professionals, and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.The findings indicate that the implementation of intelligent monitoring is influenced by three categories of factors: causal conditions (technical deficiencies, institutional and procedural motivations), contextual conditions (data infrastructure, digital maturity, and overarching smart governance policies), and intervening factors (organizational resistance, technical limitations, algorithmic bias, and privacy challenges). Based on these findings, four key strategies were identified: developing data and AI infrastructure, human and cultural empowerment, smart regulation and policymaking, and designing machine learning-based indicators and alerts.The results suggest that, when technical, institutional, and cultural prerequisites are simultaneously met, intelligent monitoring can enhance transparency, reduce deviations and corruption, improve data-driven decision-making, and strengthen public trust in urban management. The proposed model can serve as a policy and implementation framework for establishing intelligent monitoring in municipalities. https://www.judpm.ir/article_240722.html This study aims to redesign Tehran’s urban water governance and integrate nature-based and participatory governance approaches to enhance socio-ecological resilience. It examines the hydrological resilience of Tehran metropolis to the combined stresses of climate change, population growth, and unsustainable water resource management. Using a mixed methodology including analysis of official documents and development plans, stakeholder interviews, and spatial analysis, the impact of strategies such as aqueduct rehabilitation, rainwater harvesting, and treated wastewater recycling was assessed. Findings indicate a 25% reduction in urban water consumption and a 40% increase in local participation under the influence of these strategies, which have significant potential to restore groundwater aquifers and improve the permeability of urban ecosystems. However, the scalability of the strategies is limited by deep structural barriers including policy fragmentation, legal vacuum, institutional inefficiency, and weak citizen participation. In response to these challenges, the study proposes the establishment of an integrated urban water governance system based on synergy between government institutions, NGOs, and local communities. This framework seeks to achieve both ecological resilience and social cohesion by establishing a “High Urban Water Council,” amending laws, implementing participatory pilot projects in underserved neighborhoods, making data transparent, and utilizing innovative solutions such as digital monitoring. Finally, by redefining water as a socio-ecological capital, this model provides an efficient model that can be generalized to other metropolises located in dry regions of the world. https://www.judpm.ir/article_242443.html Rebuilding dilapidated urban structures requires significant financial resources and active public sector participation, but municipalities face serious challenges in this process. Budgetary constraints, unstable revenue sources, dependence on the government, diversity and mandatory nature of services, unforeseen costs, and lack of financial foresight are among these challenges. This qualitative study with a data-driven approach focused on the Municipality of District 1 of Tehran and, through in-depth interviews with 20 managers and key experts and data analysis with MAXQDA software, has presented a comprehensive model of the financial challenges of public participation. Causal factors include limited support resources and diversity of services, contextual factors include limited budget, extensive tasks and financial dependence, and intervening factors include inflation, unpredictable losses, and lack of coordination between agencies. Suggested strategies to overcome these obstacles include designing sustainable financing programs, reviewing laws, facilitating administrative processes, stabilizing financial policies, encouraging private sector investment, and strengthening residents' emotional attachment. Implementing these measures can lead to improved municipal performance, increased citizen satisfaction, employment and housing growth, enhanced urban beauty, and reduced energy consumption. Ultimately, for success in renovating dilapidated urban areas, structural and sustainable government support and simplification of administrative processes are essential. https://www.judpm.ir/article_242446.html The behavior of motorcyclists is one of the key determinants of traffic safety and the reduction of road accidents. Motorcycles are more at risk of accidents due to their specific characteristics, including the lack of adequate physical protection and the high mobility of drivers. A detailed analysis of the behavior of this group of road users, especially using well-known behavioral models such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Motorcycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (MRBQ), can help predict risky behaviors and improve safety policies. In addition, the use of computer simulations in the analysis of motorcyclist behavior allows for the examination of their reactions in controlled and diverse environments, which may not be possible in the real world for reasons of cost and safety. The main objective of the study is to provide a comprehensive framework for analyzing motorcycle rider behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Motorcycle Rider Behavior Questionnaire (MRBQ) and its application in traffic simulations. The research method is based on a literature review and selected studies are collected from reputable international databases. A review of previous studies shows that qualitative data from TPB and MRBQ can be converted into quantitative parameters using methods such as numerical scoring (Likert scale) and component weighting. When these parameters are integrated into traffic simulation models, it is possible to analyze different scenarios and predict the risk of motorcyclist behavior with higher accuracy. https://www.judpm.ir/article_242460.html The consumption performance of 438 municipally owned buildings in 22 regions has been examined in the areas of water, electricity and gas. The average consumption during the three years under review (1401 to 1403) in the buildings under assessment is 741,055 cubic meters of water, 486,767,409 kilowatt hours of electricity and 11,197,405 cubic meters of gas. the average per capita changes in the three-year consumption of buildings in the city of Tehran during the current urban management period compared to the year before the announcement of the fourth four-year plan (1400) showed a 22.81% decrease in per capita water consumption, a 5.51% decrease in per capita electricity consumption, and a 10.65% decrease in per capita gas consumption, resulting in a total decrease of 7.36% in per capita energy consumption. With a reduction of 8,986,829 kWh of electricity in the buildings under assessment during the years 1401 to 1403 compared to 1400, energy consumption optimization at the Tehran municipality level resulted in a reduction of 6,829 tons of CO2 emissions and the cost reduction in 438 buildings under coverage during the three years under review in the electricity consumption section was equivalent to 7,234,938,325 Tomans. Also, calculating the energy label of buildings using the 14254 standard method and comparing it with the rank obtained in 1400 shows that based on the results, 94 percent of the buildings under assessment were awarded an energy label and only 6 percent of the buildings were not awarded a label.