https://www.thenation.com/article/renewing-urban-renewal/
As we have discussed in class, the Urban Renewal projects of the 20th century forcefully evicted often black residents of communities from so called “slums” to make way for supposedly better housing developments. This article addresses the significance of Chester Hartman’s book ‘Between Eminence and Notoriety: Four Decades of Radical Urban Planning’, which describes the legacy of Urban Renewal, what we can learn from this period, and what we are still getting wrong.
Hartman states that while Urban Renewal might not be in full swing anymore, racist policies are still being implemented in different ways. Today, Hartman describes public projects like downtown stadiums, “mixed-use” mega-developments, parking garages and “centers” to draw visitors as the goal of urban renewal. The construction of highways in favor of public transport in the US is another example. While the interstate system was begun in the 1950’s, highways are still receiving investment, and this option of transportation is inherently exclusionary to poor citizens of cities who are unable to own a vehicle. In effect, poorer residents become trapped in urban centers where low level public transportation exists, but cannot realistically venture out of the metropolis.
Jane Jacobs has even stated regarding this book that
I had made up my mind…to put in my say that [Hartman’s] book is needed, especially by people too young to have lived through the kinds of events it chronicles.
However, there is hope for the future. Hartman points to possible scenarios including investment in public transportation infrastructure, which would immensely improve the mobility of people and lessen the reliance on automobiles. Most of the rest of the world has reliable public infrastructure that a majority of citizens rely on. Moreover, some foundations are investing in not just projects but people as they recognize the difference between building housing and building communities. Some of these initiatives are being undertaken by historic preservation and environmental justice movements that might inspire broader support. No matter which strategy proves to be more successful, we should not forget the mistakes of the urban renewal era in America, and should strive not to repeat them. As April Baptiste stated, it is vital that inhabitants of communities that will be affected be consulted and incorporated into the decision making process regarding their future communities.
