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

At one time, a move to the suburbs was the American Dream for many families. However, despite the success of Levittown, New York, impoverished "inner-ring" suburbs - those closest to the urban core of metropolitan cities - like Lansdowne, Maryland, are in decline. As aging housing stock, foreclosures, severe fiscal problems, slow population growth, increasing poverty, and struggling local economies affect inner-ring suburbs, what can be done to save them? Once the American Dream analyzes this downward trend, illuminating her detailed statistical analysis with vivid case studies and providing a discussion of policy implications and recommendations for policymakers and planners who deal with suburbs of various stripes. Bernadette Hanlon is Trott Visiting Assistant Professor in the City and Regional Planning program in the Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture at Ohio State University. Her research interests include suburban growth and decline, urban policy and planning, and state and local government.