Urban Policy

Not too long ago, U.S. elections were determined -- and sometimes stolen -- in cities. In the 21st century, however, the nation's major urban areas have become largely politically peripheral, except as stages for national party conventions.

As a result, neither major party makes a serious effort to address the crises affecting U.S. cities -- dysfunctional school systems, a declining middle class, eroding employment and rising populations of mostly poor, new immigrants. Instead,… more

First came the newspaper ads. "Retro vs. Metro" they read, featuring a head shot of Newt Gingrich (retro) facing one of Hillary Rodham Clinton (metro). Or Mel Gibson (retro) contrasted with Michael Moore (metro). The mystery of their message had people talking for a while. Turns out it was all about a book, one that purports to have the secret to a "winning strategy" for the Democrats in November.

"The Great Divide" is the self-published -- and vigorously self-promoted… more

This city known for makeovers is getting ready to try a big one for its downtown. On Grand Avenue, near the much ballyhooed Disney Hall and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, city leaders earlier this month announced plans for a $1.2 billion redevelopment project complete with massive retail, residential and commercial space. The goal, as seen by billionaire Eli Broad, the plan's biggest booster, would be to transform now doughty Grand Avenue into something of an Angeleno version of Paris's elegant Champs… more

Central Los Angeles is getting a makeover. From Koreatown to Silver Lake, Echo Park to downtown, the city's core is becoming aggressively hip. It's also becoming noticeably whiter. After 40 years of inexorable decline, central L.A.'s white population is edging up.

Over the last few years, Silver Lake has been dubbed Brentwood East, Echo Park the new Laurel Canyon and Koreatown a "blossoming bohemia." Though hardly Santa Monica, downtown's central business district is beginning to feel like a yuppie… more

Two of our country's most cherished dreams are at risk. One is the American dream of upward mobility. The other is the romantic dream of settling the American heartland. These two dreams cannot be separated in the information age any more than they could be in the frontier past. Indeed, for many Americans in this century moving up may mean moving inland.

Los Angeles is the only big city built on the promise of the suburban dream. Unlike New York, where migrants move to be part of a continuing civic enterprise, the genius and fundamental weakness of Los Angeles is that you rarely feel obliged to be part of anything. Nothing short of cataclysmic events like riots, earthquakes or a Lakers championship can ignite a strong sense of civic unity.

Southern California's appeal has always been its temperate weather and the allure… more

The National Governors Association reported recently that the annual cost to society of traffic gridlock is $72 billion in wasted time and fuel as well as 4.3 billion hours stuck in traffic. And … more