And so it begins. In this article at the Next American City, we hear about the rise in suburban poverty and the government’s lack of response. Let’s be clear about this. Suburbs (not all suburbs, some suburbs, particularly exurbs and old, inner ring suburbs with working-class homes) are the new ghettos, where immigrants go. Now that city centers are either Detroit (beyond repair) or Manhattan (playgrounds for the rich), suburbs become convenient places to ignore. Let the poor stay there. Out of sight out of mind.
I’ve been harping on this for years now, even as neoliberals like Richard Florida have proclaimed the resurgence of the city. The suburbs are very much where the struggle is. The good news is that smaller units of governance make it possible to have strategic interventions, if aided by larger regional structures.
For now, however, the situation is anything but good.
