Cities without Suburbs

Based on a study of census data on 522 central cities in 320 metro areas of the USA from 1950 to 1990, this book should interest city planners, scholars, and citizens. It argues that America must end the isolation of the central city from its suburbs in order to attack its urban problems.

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First published in 1993, this analysis of America's cities should be of interest to city planners, scholars, and citizens alike. It argues that America must end the isolation of the central city from its suburbs in order to attack its urban problems. Based on a detailed study of census data on 522 central cities in 320 metro areas of the USA from 1950 to 1990, the book shows that cities trapped within old boundaries have suffered severe racial segregation and the emergence of an urban underclass. But cities with annexation powers, even when they are poorer, have not achieved critical mass in poverty, dependency and crime, and are succeeding. These latter cities - termed "elastic" by Rusk - have shared in area-wide development. "Inelastic" cities, by contrast, lost their middle-class tax base outside their city limits and suffered acute segregation by race and economic class. This edition not only employs updated census data available since publication of the first edition, but it implements an improved method for calculating elasticity and provides more precise information about population, income, and racial trends in central cities.
New information summarizing growth in family income for all cities and metro areas comes from a new study recently completed by the author. Updated case studies of metropolitan reforms are based on his direct involvement as a consultant in over 50 metro areas since the publication of the first edition. Commentary on new federal urban programmes, including enterprise/empowerment zones and proposals to transform federal public housing, is provided as well.