Urban development in Norway is regulated through law, but is carried out locally by municipalities. Oslo, the capital of Norway, is growing and constantly needs more housing to meet demand. Therefore, a densification policy is pursued. In Norway, private developers and property owners have the most influence over urban development. Big decisions in urban development are established in contracts between the municipality and property developers before residents are invited to state their opinion. The responsibility for participation has been delegated to developers. The lack of arenas for early participation from the local community is one of the biggest democratic challenges in today’s urban development. Participation could have been a tool to contribute to more socially sustainable cities, but only 20% of residents report that municipal participation channels actually give them influence.