London's central core never experienced the deterioration many American downtowns lived through, but the inner city/suburb dynamic was still at play. Now poverty is moving outward.
According to a report by the Smith Institute, many UK suburbs are experiencing slow economic declines. In London, where wealth in the central city has skyrocketed, outer areas are becoming the go-to residence choice for people without the means to stay.
John Bingham writes, "[The report] shows that while the worst pockets of deprivation are still to be found in deprived areas near the centre of cities, overall the rates in inner city and suburban areas appear to be going in different directions. In outer London boroughs the proportion of the population classed as living in poverty after housing costs jumped from 20 per cent in 2002 to 24 per cent in 2013. But in inner city areas it remained stable, edging up from 33 per cent to 34 per cent in just over a decade."
In central areas, there have been instances of public council housing giving way for luxury development. "The study also notes that, while inner city areas have seen much more rapid population growth overall, evidence is emerging of 'social cleansing' in increasingly expensive urban areas - pushing poorer people towards the suburbs." The report also discusses ways to combat these trends.
FULL STORY: End of the Good Life? Britain’s suburbs 'being left behind'
Rent Costs Rising Faster in Suburbs Than Urban Cores
In a majority of U.S. metro areas, suburban rent hikes are outpacing urban rent increases.
Is Sprawl the Only Answer to High Housing Costs?
A recent article argues that sprawl is the solution to high housing costs, pointing out that low-density Sunbelt cities are more affordable than some more compact metro areas. What's wrong with this argument?
Easing the Burden of High Gas and Housing Costs for Low-Income Households
Low-income families suffer most from dramatic spikes in housing and transportation costs, but governments can soften the impact through a series of actions.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
