Learning to Think as a Region: Connecting Suburban Sprawl and City Poverty

Abstract

Throughout the US there is an increasing debate about the nature of urban development, including such aspects as suburban sprawl and continuing central city poverty. This debate is driven by a range of motivations, including concerns about the effect of growth on the environment, quality of life, government efficiency, economic competitiveness, and equity. Several metropolitan areas have developed new governmental and fiscal structures or land use policies to address problems caused by growth, or by inequalities within regions. A detailed case study of Chicago shows how different groups deal with these issues politically. The article concludes with an overview of the policies most likely to be successful.