A chapter by Jeremy Nowak, who passed away this summer, adapted from the book "Shared Prosperity in America’s Communities."
The past fifty years of urban history demonstrate that there are no quick fixes for our most challenged cities. In the face of this history, local actions and policies still matter. To succeed, older distressed cities must make progress on two simultaneous fronts: one is economic and the other public and civic. In terms of the economy, cities must adopt a cost structure and regulatory environment that is competitive. They must confront historical liabilities that, over the long term, will make it more difficult to pay for public goods. And they must build on the advantages of place, from cultural institutions to research universities.
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