The pitting of cities and rural communities against one another is the wrong approach. Instead, policies that help cities thrive will benefit rural areas in the long run.

Nathan Arnosti and Amy Liu take a closer look at the relationship between urban and rural areas. They argue for a move beyond the idea of the urban-rural divide, a concept supporting the notion that bolstering cities means that rural communities lose out.
"Rather than see rural America as existing in isolation from urban centers, or characterize the two sets of communities as locked in a zero-sum game for economic growth, we should recognize that rural America’s economic success is linked with that of America’s cities," write Arnosti and Liu.
The well-being of rural areas is influenced by cities in several ways, they say. Rural areas benefit when cities provide more state revenue than they use, and states with large urban populations are less dependent on federal investments. In addition, cities provide rural communities and residents with access to economic, labor, and educational opportunities.
Arnosti and Liu say that strengthening the links between urban and rural areas is important. "In fact, one of the best ways to help rural America may involve helping cities: supporting a distributed network of economically vibrant small and mid-sized cities across the United States."
They advocate for economic planning at the local level—with a focus on industry clustering rather than efforts to attract particular large companies. In addition, they encourage policies that will reduce the economic gaps between urban and rural areas, including educational and training programs that prepare workers for the modern economy.
FULL STORY: Why rural America needs cities

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.

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Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
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