City governments aren't often so nimble when it comes to adjusting regulations related to the "sharing economy". Without formal industry precedents, it's difficult for cities to know how to integrate these new services into preexisting policies, or whether they should be outlawed entirely. So in an attempt to not simply dismiss these services out of hand, or heedlessly let them run wild, U.S. city leaders are putting together The Sharing Economy Advisory Network.

The Network aims to identify problems related to the sharing economy, and model solutions to help cities adapt as new services crop up, ideally learning to use these "disruptors" to maximize local growth opportunities. The sooner cities recognize and prepare for the inevitability of more sharing-economy services, the better. Well-known disruptors like Airbnb and Uber question not only the legal limits of civic intervention, but clash ideals of public interest vs. private economy. And those disputes are far from over. Some sharing-economy services take aim at gaps in public infrastructure, but many overlap and compete directly, and cities can't afford to turn a blind eye.

h/t Urbanful