Group Incentives for the Public Good : A Field Experiment on Improving the Urban Environment

What strategies can communities use to overcome the public goods problem in the maintenance of communal spaces and infrastructure in urban environments? We investigate whether a lighttouch intervention targeted at some key groups within the community can motivate them to make increased contributions to the public good, thereby improving outcomes for the community as a whole. Using a randomized controlled trial, we test the effectiveness of a program which targets community groups to encourage them to keep their neighborhoods clean, with the ultimate goal of reducing flooding. After one year, our intervention is effective in engaging communities, improving cleanliness and reducing flooding