Posted by:
Steve Dubb
Coalition aims to shape new urban policy agenda
Restoring Prosperity is an initiative of the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, Smart Growth America, the National Housing Institute, PolicyLink, the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, and the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
To date, the coalition has focused its efforts in six states: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The basic strategy focuses on five areas: 1) fixing the basics (i.e., schools, safe streets), 2) an economic focus on downtown revitalization and finding competitive niches, 3) physical infrastructure improvements, 4) efforts to raise the wages of low-income workers, and 5) a focus on building mixed-use neighborhoods. For a full list, see their strategy page.
What is most impressive about the effort is the wide range of national actors involved. Of course, one of the weaknesses, which unfortunately is common in many such efforts, is a lack of a specific focus on working with local community organizations to achieve these goals. One hopes that local community wealth builders are incorporated in these efforts—and probably much of the success or failure of the campaign will depend on the strength of the state-level partners—but many of the facets of the “Restoring Prosperity” strategy, like “catalytic development” projects, sound like the “big project” mentality of past failed revitalization efforts.
Still, it is hopeful to see this new effort under way. The website also has very useful resource and calendar pages, which provide links to other sites and additional information.