Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies

Through the insightful lens of an experienced practitioner, this book describes the origin, execution, and impact of urban repopulation strategies—initiatives designed to attract residents, businesses, jobs, shoppers, and visitors to places that had undergone decades of decline and abandonment. The central question throughout the strategies explored in the book is who should benefit? Who should benefit from the allocation of scarce public capital? Who should enjoy the social benefits of urban development? And who will populate redeveloped areas? Kromer provides realistic guidance about how to move forward with strategic choices that have to be made in pursuing the best opportunities available within highly disadvantaged, resource-starved urban areas. Each of the cases presents strategies that are strongly influenced by geography, economics, politics, and individual leadership, but they address key issues that are major concerns everywhere: enlivening downtowns, stabilizing and strengthening neighborhoods, eliminating industrial-age blight, and providing quality public education options.

John Kromer is a nationally recognized expert on urban policymaking and neighborhood reinvestment strategies. As the City of Philadelphia's Director of Housing from 1992 to 2001, he supervised the expenditure of more than a billion dollars in public investment. Currently, Kromer is a Senior Consultant at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.

Introduction 1. Financing Without Cash: The Ten-Year Tax Abatement 2. A Managed Downtown: The Center City District 3. The Transition Zone: Rebuilding Eastern North Philadelphia 4. A Citywide Revitalization Policy I: Neighborhood Transformation Initiative Organization and Planning 5. A Citywide Revitalization Policy II: NTI Real Estate Transactions and Housing Agency Reorganization 6. Broadening Public Education Options: The Penn Alexander School 7. Commercial Corridor Redefinition: The West Philadelphia Fire House 8. The Exercise of State Power: Municipal Reform and Eminent Domain in Camden 9. An Integrated Strategy: Real Estate Development and Human Capital Planning in Camden 10. Rental Housing Asset Management: A Strategy for Allentown, Pennsylvania’s Downtown-Area Neighborhoods 11. The Future of Reinvestment