Once the American Dream: Inner-Ring Suburbs of the Metropolitan United States

10. Conclusion

10 Conclusion P roblems are apparent in inner-ring suburbs. Many are now more than fifty years old and showing signs of decline. Population growth in these suburbs has stagnated. The residents have grown poorer, and the housing stock has aged significantly. The postwar suburbs are particularly at risk. Urban scholars William Lucy and David Phillips (2000b) refer to the decline of these suburbs as “the next urban crisis.” The results of this study suggest they may be right. Major Findings of This Study As Table 10.1 suggests, at national, regional, and metropolitan levels, inner-ring suburbs generally experienced less population growth than outer suburbs did from 1980 to 2000. The cases of extreme population decline mostly occurred in inner-ring suburbs, while outer suburbs typically grew at a rapid pace. Suburban population growth was particularly extreme in the metropolitan areas of the West and the South. The growth that occurred in these regions was partly driven by immigration . In contrast, in the metropolitan areas of the Midwest, population decline among inner-ring suburbs was most prevalent. 152 / Chapter 10 Suburban poverty rose in U.S. metropolitan areas from 1980 to 2000. Some regional variation is apparent. Poverty, whether among inner-ring or outer suburbs, was most extreme in the South and the West. The number of cases of extreme suburban poverty increased, and, with the exception of the South, this increase was larger among inner-ring suburbs than outer suburbs. Extreme cases of increased poverty among inner-ring suburbs TABLE 10.1 SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY Population In general, inner-ring suburbs experienced less population growth than outer suburbs did from 1980 to 2000. Poverty The number of cases of extreme suburban poverty increased, and, with the exception of the South, this increase was larger among inner-ring suburbs than outer suburbs. In general, though, suburban poverty remained fairly low. Suburbs with high levels of poverty were suburbs with high concentrations of minorities. In particular, these suburbs became poorer over time. Income Income decline was more prevalent among inner-ring suburbs than outer suburbs. An increasing dichotomy is developing between poor inner-ring suburbs and rich outer suburbs in many metropolitan areas. Suburbs in crisis Two-thirds of suburbs in crisis are inner-ring suburbs, which accounts for 13 percent of my national sample of inner-ring suburbs. The Midwest and the South have the highest proportion of inner-ring suburbs in crisis. A gulf is forming between inner-ring suburbs in crisis and advancing outer suburbs in every region. In some metropolitan areas, decline does not follow a purely concentric ring formation around the central city; rather, sectors of improvement can be found among some suburbs close to the central city. Features of suburbs in crisis Almost half of the housing stock in declining inner-ring suburbs was built between 1950 and 1969. Almost one out of three of the houses in advancing inner-ring suburbs were built prior to 1939. Many declining inner-ring suburbs were once home to manufacturing workers and are industrial in nature. Minority population increases combined with white population declines occurred among inner-ring suburbs in crisis from 1980 to 2000. Types of inner-ring suburbs Inner-ring suburbs are varied. Some are very wealthy, elite suburbs; some are ethnic; many are middle class; and most of them are vulnerable to decline or are already in crisis. Forces shaping inner-ring suburbs Four primary forces include housing market dynamics, the new suburban demographic, labor-market restructuring, and metropolitan fragmentation. Policy for inner-ring suburbs No national policy exists, and growth management is insufficient. Regional coalitions are evolving. More federal and state funding is needed for fiscally stressed inner-ring suburbs. Other issues to consider are affordable housing and a living wage for low-skilled workers. Conclusion / 153 occurred in such metropolitan areas as St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Miami, New Orleans, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. In general, though, poverty levels among suburbs remained fairly low. Suburbs with high levels of poverty tended to be suburbs with high concentrations of minorities. In particular, these suburbs, more likely inner-ring than outer suburbs, became poorer over time. Suburban income, in real terms, increased in all metropolitan areas (with the exception of New Orleans) from 1980 to 2000. Despite this trend, declining income was more prevalent among inner-ring suburbs than outer suburbs. Using the median household income ratio...