I spend a great deal of time traveling the country. Before I visit a city, especially a new one, I make arrangements to meet with City Agencies, Sustainability Directors, heads of nonprofits… people I expect to find interesting. We meet and talk about their city and I listen to them discuss the problems facing their home.
And what have I learned? That most American cities are facing the same core group of problems. Sure, some are more severe or less pronounced in certain places. But, in general, every large city (population over 500k) seems to confront similar challenges and obstacles. To me, that means they are also presented with the same opportunities.
In no order, the top ten issues I have found in American cities are as follows:
Lack of affordable public housing: but also a lack of middle income housing. Disparity of wealth divide continues.
Unfriendly to families: lack of quality schools, safe neighborhoods and appropriate housing stock (3-4 bedrooms).
Crime: a symptom of larger issues, but one that creates other problems for the city.
Clean streets: possible opportunities for green collar jobs clean up program, new recycling distribution channels or other measurable benefits.
Poorly executed and underused mass transit: chicken and egg situation between dependence on automobile and probable use of public transit. The people that really benefit from successful mass transit (businesses) don’t pay for the upkeep of the system (riders).
Lack of industrial base: manufacturing industry left urban centers starting in the 60′s, but was never fully replaced with anything. The abandoned factory infrastructure was not fully reused, and nothing appropriate has moved into its place. While some hip, trendy, Yuppie lofts were made in some old factory buildings, the majority still sit vacant, creating other social issues (crime, blight). New clean-tech industries could rise from these ashes.
Decaying infrastructure: nearly every American city West of the Appalachian Mountains is at the age where the original infrastructure is now badly in need of repair/replacement. This is an opportunity to question and re-evaluate those systems, while also proving a financial argument for more sustainable methods. (East Coast cities went through this in the 60′s already and there are lessons to be learned from their mistakes)
Dwindling economic base: a variety of poor choices (mostly in zoning laws, parking laws and business tax laws) have drive out the tax base of anyone who does HAVE to be in a city. Residents will vote out anyone suggesting even a modest tax hike on housing, so the brunt of the tax increases have targeted businesses. Those businesses have responded by seeking less expensive digs outside of the city and contributing to sprawl. Already sprawling cities (such as Phoenix) sprawl more, compact cities (like San Francisco) just lose revenue. Either way, it is a vicious cycle. New ideas are needed for re-building an economic base. Get people to work, live, shop and visit the City again. According to National League of Cities (NLC) report” Nearly 9 in 10 city finance officers surveyed had difficulties meeting fiscal needs in 2009.
Term Limits: create a system focused on short-term and immediate solutions and avoid exploring ideas with a long term and sustainable focus. Except for the vision of a handful of Mayors (Daley in Chicago, Nickels in Seattle or Newsom in San Francisco), most mayors are simply trying to get re-elected or produce results in their one term. Change this by embracing the “Legacy Project” ideas we used to see at the turn of the previous century (again, look at Chicago, San Francisco).
Antipathy: most believe (consciously or unconsciously) that the problems of their city cannot be solved by the same system that created them. This opens a door for new solutions like the one Urban Re:Vision is providing.
By sharing these observations with these city agencies, we have found tehse discussions to be helpful. Not only do the cities not feel so alone, but they get the chance to learn from the mistakes of other cities.
