Unequal Cities : Overcoming Anti-Urban Bias to Reduce Inequality in the United States

Cities are central to prosperity: they are hubs of innovation and growth. However, the economic vitality of wealthy cities is marred by persistent and pervasive inequality―and deeply entrenched anti-urban policies and politics limit the options to address it. Structural racism, suburban subsidies, regional government fragmentation, the hostility of state legislatures, and federal policy all contribute to an unequal status quo that underfunds cities while preventing them from pursuing fairer outcomes. Economist Richard McGahey explores how cities can foster equitable economic growth despite the obstacles in their way. Drawing on economic and historical analysis as well as his extensive experience in government and philanthropy, he examines the failures of public policy and conventional economic wisdom that have led to the neglect of American cities and highlights opportunities for reform. Unequal Cities features detailed case studies of New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles, tracing how their attempts to achieve greater equity foundered because of the fiscal and political constraints imposed on them. McGahey identifies key lessons about the political coalitions that can overcome anti-urban biases, arguing that alliances among unions, environmentalists, and communities of color can help cities thrive. But he warns that cities cannot solve inequality on their own: political action at state and federal levels is necessary to achieve systemic change. Shedding light on the forces that produced today’s dysfunction and disparities, Unequal Cities provides timely policy prescriptions to promote both growth and equity. Cities are central to prosperity: they are hubs of innovation and growth. However, the economic vitality of wealthy cities is marred by persistent and pervasive inequality--and deeply entrenched anti-urban policies and politics limit their ability to address it. Structural racism, suburban subsidies, regional government fragmentation, and the hostility of state governments all contribute to an unequal status quo that underfunds cities while preventing them from enacting redistributive policies. Richard McGahey explores how cities can foster equitable economic growth despite the obstacles in their way. Drawing on extensive experience as well as historical analysis, he examines the failures of public policy and conventional economic wisdom that have led to the neglect of American cities and highlights opportunities for reform. Unequal Cities features detailed case studies of New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles, tracing how their attempts to achieve greater equity foundered because of the fiscal and political constraints imposed on them. McGahey identifies key lessons about the political coalitions that can overcome anti-urban biases, arguing that alliances among unions, environmentalists, and communities of color can help cities thrive. However, he cautions, cities cannot solve inequality on their own: political action at state and federal levels is necessary to achieve systemic change. Shedding light on the forces that produced today's dysfunction and disparities, Unequal Cities provides timely policy prescriptions to promote both growth and equity. "Cities generate close to 85 percent of US GDP and are hubs of innovation and growth. However, structural factors--such as the prioritization of businesses and the wealthy, a long-standing federal bias against cities, state government hostilities toward municipal governments, and structural racism interwoven throughout nearly every pillar of society--have been left to generate and reproduce poverty and inequality in metropolitan areas across the country. Despite driving the growth of the country, new research shows that the inequality infecting cities dampens the economic growth they could generate, further entrenching that inequality. In Going it Alone, McGahey draws from his rich and varied experience in the field to explore what's gone wrong and what's gone right for cities, including detailed policy prescriptions for cities, regions, states, and the federal government. The book utilizes three in-depth case studies of Detroit, New York City, and Los Angeles, exploring what can be learned from each. The final section of the book focuses on possible solutions and where American cities can go in a post-Covid world"-- Provided by publisher