Grading Obama's Urban Policy Legacy

"In 2008, Barack Obama ran for the presidency on a message of hope. And urban America felt it," according to an article by Tanvi Misra.

Obama had an urban pedigree, and they expected his presidency to usher in a new urban era in the United States. A new book, edited by James DeFillipis, takes stock of Obama's legacy as an advocate for cities while in the White House.

Misra interviews DeFillipis, who, in addition to writing the book Urban Policy in the Time of Obama, is an associate professor in the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. The interview ranges from giving Obama's urban policies a grade (B-), discussions of public housing, the Obama Administration's reliance on public-private partnerships, the slippery nature of the term "urban," and a quick look forward to the Trump Administration.