The article is devoted to the concept of the «right to the city» in its relation to the institution of local self-government. The theoretical approaches of Henri Lefebvre, David Harvey and Warren Magnusson, as well as Russian legislation on local self-government are analyzed. It is revealed that the current legal framework formally enshrines citizens’ participation in urban development management, but the mechanisms for implementing the right to the city remain imperfect. Based on the analysis of judicial practice (including disputed public hearings on urban planning issues), the necessity of expanding the competence of local self-government bodies in the field of urban planning, strengthening the role of territorial public self-government and developing voting’s as a key instrument at construction and planning issues. Specific amendments to the Federal Law №. 33-FZ dated March 20, 2025, and the Urban Development Code of the Russian Federation are being suggested.