It's The Middle Class, Not The Creative Class

Joel Kotkin argues that cities need to win back the middle class by focusing on their basic needs -- affordable 'market-rate' housing, schools, and public infrastructure -- if they are to be genuinely successful at urban revitalization.

1 minute read

September 21, 2006, 3:00 PM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Cities have always served many functions: as centers of religion, political power, and commerce. But one of their most important tasks has been to serve as engines of upward mobility and aspiration. Nowhere has this been more true than in American cities."

"Sadly, in recent decades, this notion of cities as mechanisms for upward mobility has broken down. Many cities, rather than trying to uplift their working class and nurture a middle class, have chosen to concentrate on "luring" the affluent, the hip, and the young as their primary development strategy."

While booming cities of the sunbelt â€" such as Houston, Orlando, Charlotte, Phoenix and Las Vegas â€" are widely criticized for their sprawling landscapes and 'un-hip' image, Kotkin makes the case that these are the only cities that are providing opportunity for economic mobility for the middle class.

Rather than attempt to emulate the coastal 'boutique cities' -- which are increasingly only home to the wealthy elite and the low wage workers who serve them -- cities intent on urban revitalization should strive to attract the middle class by focusing on the basics -- affordable housing, good schools, and efficient infrastructure.

[Editors note: Democracy requires free registration to read the complete article]

Thursday, September 21, 2006 in Democracy

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight