Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America’s Older Industrial Cities
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With over 16 million people and nearly 8.6 million jobs, America's older industrial cities remain a vital-if undervalued-part of the economy, particularly in states where they are heavily concentrated, such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. They also have a range of other physical, economic, and cultural assets that, if fully leveraged, can serve as a platform for their renewal." Please
click here for the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program's complete report. For the press release,
click here.
"After decades of painful economic restructuring, the time is ripe for Pennsylvania’s state and local leaders to seize upon new trends and attitudes that have begun to revalue cities’ special characteristics—and to again make them innovative, competitive, high-quality communities where their residents have the choices and opportunities needed to thrive." For a more in-depth look at how Pennsylvania fares, please
click here.
Restoring Prosperity Initiative
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, as well as with organizations in six states (NJ, MI, OH, PA, NY, and CT), to shape a state and federal revitalization agenda that transforms America’s older industrial cities. Please visit our
website to sign up for a national list serv, to find resources, and contribute resources that your colleagues in older industrial cities could benefit from.
A media conference call was held on May 15, 2007. For the notes from this call, please
click here.
Study: Older Cities Must Build On Strengths, Scranton Times-Tribune, May 21, 2007
"A report released today by the Brookings Institution suggests that cities, with help from states, should use their parks, green spaces, colleges, hospitals and cultural amenities to leverage economic revival and population growth." Please
click here for the complete article.
Study: States should do more for cities, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 20, 2007
"Pennsylvania and other states are coming up short in help to their struggling cities, according to a new report which suggests urban areas are ripe to take advantage of any aid." Please
click here for the complete article.
Study: Pittsburgh's economy continues its uphill battle, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 20, 2007
"Pittsburgh may be the nation's "Most Livable City" again, but it's economy remains plagued by the lingering impact of its Rust Belt past, a national study finds." Please
click here for the complete article.
Editorial: Urban Rebirth, Philadelphia Inquirer, May 21, 2007
"Once again, Pennsylvania has lost the Rust Belt follies.
Of 302 mid-size to large U.S. cities analyzed recently by the Brookings Institution, 65 missed the urban rebirth begun in the 1990s. They lag their peers in key economic indicators, such as employment growth, new business starts, college graduation rates and income levels. Nine of these cities, including Philadelphia, are in Pennsylvania - the most of any state." Please
click here for the complete article.
Report provides ideas for growth, Harrisburg Patriot-News, May 20, 2007
"A recent study from the Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Brookings Institution contains suggestions cities such as Harrisburg should take to improve their economic outlook -- suggestions some economic experts say Harrisburg has already taken to heart." Please
click here for the complete article.
