Streamline Blog

While the number of Special Districts has increased since 2017, this story of growth has unfolded differently in each state. States like Colorado and Florida saw their district count grow by 17% and 13%, respectively. On the other hand, Iowa experienced a decrease in special districts of -13%. Overall, special districts are quite stable in the US with the vast majority of states growing or shrinking their count by 5% or less, and as we mentioned in our previous post, the US has experienced a healthy overall gain of 800 new districts since 2017. Map: District Growth by State (2017-2022)

Special districts are the most common form of government in the United States, and their popularity continues to grow. Since 2017, the U.S. has added almost 800 new special districts, bringing the total number of independent districts to an all-time high of 39,262.

By the end of 2023, more than 10% of districts were affected by a website ADA claim. This rapid increase is startling, and we want to help you stay informed and prepared for any risks facing special districts.

We’ve heard from a lot of districts that using email to better communicate with the community is a priority, but they just don’t know where to get started. How do you find email addresses and what do you include in the email?

We speak with literally hundreds of special districts every week. And we’ve found that the best-run districts all have a special district "rockstar." This isn’t the person who actually puts out the fires, keeps the water clean, or kills the mosquito larvae.

As of January 1, 2022, governing bodies in Oregon are now required to make meetings accessible remotely and provide the opportunity for members of the public to remotely submit oral and written testimony.

Special districts are carved into the foundation of Colorado. As early settlers moved west, they found themselves well beyond the reach of the government back east, and needed a way to organize themselves. John Gregory formed the first special district out west to help provide services to the ever-growing settlements that popped up around the gold mines. Just like the districts of today, independent-minded people got together to create an organization that was responsive to their local needs. And this is the intriguing story of how the first special district, and the state of Colorado, came to be.

Streamline has always stood for holding ourselves and our community accountable to good governance and transparency to the public. We don’t just help you build a website. We provide much-needed guidance on the laws and regulations that affect how you should (and in some cases, must!) communicate with your community and stakeholders online.

In a revolutionary partnership, Streamline CEO, Mac Clemmens, and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, have reached an agreement to put special districts on Mars by the year 2026.

As a special district, how do you combat the often-heard sentiment, "They just don’t do that much..."? While your district may not be directly competing with anyone, keeping your community informed ensures everyone knows the value you are providing.