What is a home-rule city?

• A. A city that uses appointed boards
• B. A city that has no charter
• C. A city that is governed directly by the state
• D. A city that has a charter that governs it, and therefore has a measure of self-government

Answer: (D)

A home-rule city is one that has its own charter, which acts like a local constitution and gives the city the authority to govern its affairs with a degree of self-rule. The charter sets up the city’s elected officials, its form of government, and the powers it can exercise—such as enacting ordinances, managing budgets, and making local policy—so long as those actions stay within the bounds of state constitutions and laws. That autonomy is what distinguishes a home-rule city from others.

The other descriptions describe forms of governance that don’t grant that local self-government. A city with appointed boards may still operate under state-directed structures. A city with no charter typically follows general state-law provisions and has fewer independent powers. A city governed directly by the state lacks local self-rule altogether.