In the last ten years, more than two thirds of poverty growth has happened in suburban areas of American cities. According to Brookings', social services such as transit have failed to keep up in the face of decreasing tax revenue.
In addition, suburbs are simply not setup to deal with increasing levels of poverty because this is such a new problem. Expanding public transit through suburban areas is costly compared to inner city projects. In downtown areas efficiencies of scale 'ensure people will use new rail lines,' but in the suburbs this guarantee almost evaporates.
The lack of public transportation is forcing poor suburbanites to reduce the number of trips taken at a time when they need to be doing the exact opposite to find jobs.
Suburbs need to be realigned "in the fashion of traditional town centers, with walkable connections to surrounding neighborhoods and good transit access."
FULL STORY: As Suburban Poverty Grows, U.S. Fails to Respond Adequately
COVID-19 and Big, Dense Cities That Aren't New York
As in metropolitan New York, big, dense cities don't always suffer from coronavirus to a greater extent than their car-oriented suburbs.
Causes of the Pre-COVID Decline in Bus Ridership
Even before the effects fo the coronavirus pandemic drastically reduced ridership, transit riders were declining in cities across the country. The reasons for the downward trend were varied.
The Middle Class Fights for Survival in Lima, Ohio
An article surveys Lima, Ohio's long-term residents, politicians, and economy to weave a narrative tracing the ups and downs of the shrinking small town.
The Complexities of the '15-Minute City'
What does a '15-minute city' truly mean–and how achievable is it in the U.S.?
Does Highway Removal Make Cities Healthier?
Highway removal can improve the air quality and health of the immediate environment, but displacement and gentrification threaten to exclude former residents from the benefits.
Tree Equity Score: The U.S. Needs 522 Million More Urban Trees
As climate change intensifies the urban heat island effect, poorer neighborhoods bear the brunt of tree canopy inequity.
National Development Council (NDC)
Solomon Cordwell Buenz
County of Sonoma
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Salinas
Village of Park Forest
Mid Valley Partners
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
