The MetroTrends blog will feature a growing volume of content in the coming weeks: more insightful policy suggestions; more empirical analysis of today’s important questions; more clear and straight-forward explanation of complicated issues. This week marked the beginning:

• Sue Popkin wrote about a growing a trend for community organizations to engage in “impact analysis” of their work
• Sisi Zhang and Bob Lerman explained a new initiative from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help new homebuyers understand what title fees and charges they might face
• In a new format, Katharine Toran wrote a two-part series on an odd new scheme for cash-strapped cities to raise revenue: would you believe “voluntary” taxes from nonprofit organizations?

We will be using the multiple-blog style regularly, since some issues are too complicated and important for just one blog. Next week, look for our two-part series about the work of the Urban Institute’s Unemployment and Recovery Project.