Shrinking Cities

Baltimore Rowhouses

'Supporting Shrinkage': Lessons for U.S. Cities

An excerpt from "Supporting Shrinkage: Better Planning and Decision-Making for Legacy Cities," written by Michael P. Johnson, Justin B. Hollander, Eliza W. Kinsey, and George R. Chichirau and published by SUNY Press.

November 22, 2021 - Michael P. Johnson

2018 Razzle Dazzle Parade

The Midwest Paces the Nation in Population Loss

Two cities in Illinois are examined as case studies of population decline in the post-industrial economy.

June 10, 2020 - Chicago Tribune

Youngstown, Ohio

How Shrinking Cities Are 'Right Sizing'

Case studies in dealing with population loss from Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

March 2, 2020 - The Guardian

Texas residential

How Some Cities Are Losing People and Staying Prosperous

Population loss doesn't always equate to economic decline. Richard Florida discusses a study examining American metros that are retaining their economic vitality as they shrink.

July 1, 2019 - CityLab

Arizona

Population Figures Tell a Tale of Two States in Arizona

Recent Census population estimates tell a story of quick growth in many parts of Arizona, but there are a few places that are quickly shrinking, too.

June 7, 2019 - Arizona Republic

mayor of South Bend

The First Mayor to Become President?

Pete Buttigieg, in his eighth and final year as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a formerly shrinking Rust Belt city, is on a roll in his bid to capture the Democratic nomination to challenge President Trump next year. The Indy Star looks at his record.

April 3, 2019 - The Indianapolis Star

Downtown Cleveland

Report: Not Enough Housing Supply to Meet Demand in Downtown Cleveland

The findings of a new report might run counter to common perceptions about Cleveland's shrinking population. Downtown Cleveland could, and should, provide more housing opportunities, according to the report.

September 28, 2018 - The Plain Dealer

Vacant Property

Shrinking Towns Seek the Right to Dissolve

Small jurisdictions in Pennsylvania are losing population and revenue, and some of them are ready to call it a day.

August 24, 2018 - Governing

Wild Detroit

Where Housing Prices Are Too Low

While the housing crisis of expensive coastal cities gets all the attention, many parts of the country are challenged with real estate markets that lack the stability to attract investments.

August 21, 2018 - Forbes

Delray, Detroit

A Detroit Neighborhood 'Sentenced to Die'

A handful of Delray residents refuse to be displaced by industry, but the plan for a new bridge may mean they don't have a choice.

December 13, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Vacancies Come in All Forms, Even New Affordable Apartments in Brooklyn

A 298-unit, 18-story tower in Pacific Park Brooklyn opened its doors to new renters in various categories of affordability over five months ago. 27% remain empty in the higher income tiers, and unlike market-rate units, the asking rent won't drop.

November 26, 2017 - The New York Times

Garbage

Accused of 'Ambush-Style Eviction,' Detroit Land Bank Faces Lawsuit

A lawsuit, allowed to proceed by a Wayne County judge, reveals some of the difficulties of blight removal.

June 20, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Joe Louis Memorial

Mayor Duggan Lays Out Eight Principles for Detroit's Redevelopment

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan made a splash this week by pronouncing a vision to create a Detroit that is 'one city for all of us.'

June 1, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

Population Decline in the Latest Census Estimates

Not only are suburbs growing, many of the larger, older cities that had reversed decades of population decline, are now losing population, again. The biggest losers: counties with the greatest population densities.

March 28, 2017 - Governing

Detroit Street Art

Rust Belt Cities Shouldn't Demolish Their Way to the Future

In a piece for CityLab, Richey Pipparinen argues that trigger-happy city officials need to slow down their push to demolish homes.

March 9, 2017 - CityLab

Akron, Ohio

A New Housing Strategy for Akron, Ohio

The city of Akron has lost 93,000 residents since 1960, so it has room to grow. Now it has a draft housing plan that uses a tax abatement program modeled on examples in Cleveland and Cuyahoga Falls.

February 6, 2017 - Akron Beacon Journal

Blight Demolition

The Dangers of Demolition for Its Own Sake

Jason Hackworth argues that demolition has come to be seen as a good, in and of itself, in rust belt cities like Detroit; giving rise to policies that are wrong-headed and dangerous.

October 15, 2016 - London School of Economics and Political Science - American Politics and Policy Blog

Buffalo, New York

Geographers Seek Patterns and Solutions to Help Declining American Cities

Geographers publish results of a two-year study on declining cities around the country in a new book, "Shrinking Cities: Understanding Urban Decline in the United States."

September 27, 2016 - Next City

Cleveland

Op-Ed: It's Time to Rethink Cleveland's Strategy of Managed Decline

Cleveland is a thought leader in bulldozing houses, according to a recent op-ed on Cleveland.com, but it's time to imagine a new paradigm.

September 14, 2016 - Cleveland.com

The Part of Cleveland You Didn't See During the Republican Convention

WBUR's Here & Now ventures outside the Quicken Loans Arena to see a distressed part of the city and region, similar to parts of Detroit and Flint. Residents want abandoned homes demolished. Take the audio driving tour of East Cleveland.

July 22, 2016 - Here & Now

Project Manager III

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

UDO Transportation Planner

City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.