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作者

Andrew Foell

来源

JOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS,Vol.41,Issue1,P.136-138

语言

英文

关键字

作者单位

Washington University in St. Louis

摘要

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeOn the Edge: America’s Middle Neighborhoods is a call to action for neighborhoods across the United States that are neither in deep distress nor thriving. Paul C. Brophy assembles thought-provoking research on these middle neighborhoods, with topics ranging from local community development interventions to federal policy recommendations. The main thesis of the book is that despite the vital role that middle neighborhoods play in the well-being of cities and regions, they have largely been ignored by urban scholars, city planners, nonprofit organizations, and policymakers and represent a critical intervention and prevention point for older industrial cities. On the Edge includes contributions from 18 authors across 12 chapters that represent academic, philanthropic, nonprofit, and practitioner perspectives. On the Edge should be of interest to practitioners and students wishing to gain a broad understanding of middle neighborhood strategies and may be a constructive supporting text for community development practice courses.Chapter 1 opens with a historical account of interventions in middle neighborhoods. Joseph McNeely and Paul C. Brophy describe the rise and fall of recognition and support for middle neighborhood intervention. They attempt to answer a simple, yet bewildering question: Where did the surge in middle neighborhood activity come from and where did it go? They attribute the rise in attention to middle neighborhoods to early community organizing efforts, the emergence of White ethnic organizing, and the discontent of White blue-collar communities with increasing resources being allocated to minority communities. The recent drop in attention to middle neighborhoods is due to shifts in national policy and philanthropic interests focused on housing, homelessness, and poverty.In Chapter 2, George Galster explains the dynamics of neighborhood change, contending that investment in middle neighborhoods benefits cities and their poorest residents. Galster describes the theory of metropolitan housing submarkets and examines the social processes associated with downward filtering, a phenomenon that occurs when market valuations in housing submarkets are systematically lowered, allowing occupancy to households previously unable to locate in the submarket. Theoretically informed, the chapter presents a persuasive argument that catching a neighborhood before it falls is more efficient and cost-effective than picking it up after it has already fallen.Ira Goldstein, William Schrecker, and Jacob Rosch provide a data-driven operationalization of middle neighborhoods in Chapter 3. They discuss the Reinvestment Fund’s market value analysis methodology for identifying low-, mid-, and high-market areas in six legacy cities. According to the analysis, middle neighborhoods are home to large shares of city populations, are ethnically diverse, have high rates of homeownership, and have moderate family poverty rates. The authors conclude by stating that middle neighborhoods often have the strongest potential for attracting and retaining residents and therefore typically produce the greatest returns for cities with limited resources.Alan Mallach discusses the historic function of middle neighborhoods and sustainable homeownership as a neighborhood stabilization strategy in chapters 4 and 5, respectively. Mallach describes that the function that middle neighborhoods once served—providing single-family housing for families with children—no longer matches housing market trends. These shifts make investment and revitalization difficult. Mallach offers a solution in Chapter 5; that is, sustainable homeownership strategies. Mallach makes it clear, however, that homeownership strategies must be accompanied by supports to avoid tax delinquency, foreclosure, and other issues that may cause residents to lose their homes.Chapter 6, by David Boehlke, focuses on strategies to improve middle neighborhoods by raising confidence levels among residents, public officials, and investors. These strategies build on assets rather than focus on solving problems. Boehlke recommends expanded lending, down payment assistance, and matching grants for residents of middle neighborhoods.In Chapter 7, Marcia Nedland advocates for place-branding strategies to attract new residents to neighborhoods in weak market cities. Nedland distinguishes place branding from common activities such as marketing homes for sale, or creating neighborhood logos. Rather, place branding is an “integrated approach to reposition a place to attract demand” (p. 102). The author provides several case studies to illustrate the power of place branding and offers recommendations for funding neighborhood demand–oriented strategies.Chapter 8 by Mark Sissman and Darlene Russell discusses Healthy Neighborhoods, a middle neighborhood strategy implemented in Baltimore and Milwaukee. The initiatives follow asset-based approaches to build on the strengths within each target neighborhood rather than devote limited resources to address weaknesses. Though the programs in the two cities differ, they follow a similar guiding philosophy, focusing on resident engagement and partnership building to strengthen middle neighborhoods.Robert Weissbourd argues that neighborhoods and regions rise and fall together in Chapter 9. Regional economies rely on the human, physical, and financial capital supplied by neighborhoods, and neighborhoods change because of their interactions with larger macroeconomic, social, and political systems. Weissbourd proposes neighborhood business plans as a way for local neighborhoods to leverage community assets and increase economic positioning. In general, he calls for integrated and synergistic strategies rather than fragmented approaches to economic development.In Chapter 10, Wendy Jackson looks at how the Great Recession and foreclosure crisis (2007–2012) played out in neighborhoods in Detroit. She describes the Reimagining Detroit 2020 program, a comprehensive framework to stabilize middle market neighborhoods. This strategy spatially concentrated investments and sought to foster environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, and the stabilization of property values.Cara Bertron and Nicholas Hamilton turn our attention to historic preservation in Chapter 11. They explain the contribution of preserving historic buildings, identify unique historic preservation strategies, and highlight the contribution of historic preservation for stabilizing middle neighborhoods.Chapter 12, by Henry Webber, focuses on the role of local public policy in stable and declining middle neighborhoods. Webber suggests that local governments must balance investments in low-, moderate-, and high-income neighborhoods. Moreover, cities need to invest in local organizations, engage in data-driven decision making, promote asset development to drive choice, and initiate neighborhood marketing.At 184 pages, On the Edge is easy to read, and the colorful visuals complement the text. I appreciated the inclusion of a wide range of perspectives on the topic. The book does have flaws, however. Some of the chapters could have been expanded to provide more comprehensive analyses. Furthermore, the book would have been stronger had it included a concluding chapter connecting ideas and proposed next steps for policymakers and researchers. Although On the Edge makes strong arguments for intervening in middle neighborhoods, it does not provide sufficient evidence that such investments will significantly alter the trajectory of middle neighborhoods. Although the authors provide several examples of promising practices with early results, I found it difficult to ascertain strategy effectiveness because the studies referenced lacked adequate comparison groups. This limitation suggests a need for rigorous evaluations of middle neighborhood interventions to guide policy and practice. I am hopeful that On the Edge will stimulate renewed interest, debate, and research on middle neighborhoods.