Community and Place:
Revitalizing Neighborhoods
Many people in surveys express disappointment with the diminished sense of community in large urban areas. Others feel left out by the rapid shifts that progress has brought. In many urban regions, central cities have suffered from a loss of money and talent as people have moved away from the inner area to escape perceived or real problems such as declining school quality, crime, and congestion.
Often those leaving find comfortable space in the outer areas but discover that something has been lost, and that time for family and friends must be given over to time in cars. Children travel great distances between home, friends, school, and other activities. For some, there is a sense of being detached from the major community. In some instances, crime has followed people out to the suburbs and the inner city has become safer.
Those left behind in the central city tend to be at increasingly opposite poles of wealth and influence. While opportunities continue to increase for the affluent and well connected, the rest are not so lucky. Many old neighborhoods are in serious decline. Some have always existed on the edge of subsistence, others have sewer and infrastructure problems, and some have more rats and local crime than people should have to tolerate. Job opportunities are often limited, and many residents are older, retired people with small fixed incomes and a decreasing ability to take care of themselves. Ironically, some of these struggling neighborhoods have a strong sense of community, friendship, and family.
Smart growth says a more diverse spectrum of income levels improves the quality of life for all communities. It also suggests that street life, commerce, markets, restaurants, and so on bring a sense of place and attachment and even pride. Smart growth focuses on neighborhoods as the entities needing attention and nurturing.
In smart growth, neighborhood revitalization requires citizen participation in matters such as transit opportunities, increased pedestrian and bike facilities, preservation (or addition) of greenspace, improvement of schools and other infrastructure, and availability of shops and services. In successful neighborhoods, people have a pride of place. (Next Section)
Economy, Community, Environment
Smart Growth Trends
Strong Central Cities
Mobility and Land Use
Clusters
Community & Place: Revitalizing Neighborhoods
Greenspace and Natural Resources
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