This colloquy is on the politics of neighborhood revitalization draws on a study covering six North American Cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Toronto. These cities show a broad shift in neighborhood policy and politics from an earlier redevelopment period to the present time. The new era entails a less cohesive governing circle, a more diverse body of players (“ed and med” institutions, organizations from the philanthropic sector, nonprofit intermediaries, collective business organizations now playing a lesser part than in the past, and in both Canada and the U.S. a diminished federal role), and a varied assortment of policy tools ranging from comprehensive community initiatives through transit-oriented development, community benefits agreements, and mixed-income redevelopment projects. In contrast with the postwar period of redevelopment, a looser assemblage of actors around a more open agenda expands the possibility of a more robust effort to revitalize neighborhoods populated by residents faced with significant social distress. While aging neighborhoods with disadvantaged residents now get some positive attention and no longer face the deep disregard so widespread at an earlier time, they continue to face major challenges of social reconstruction. Further, such neighborhoods rarely enjoy sustained, high-priority attention. Current experiences will be used in order to identify steps that could strengthen the political position of distressed neighborhoods for advancing an agenda of social reconstruction. The aim of the colloquy is to discuss an appropriate reform agenda that could apply across cities in support of the aim of neighborhood revitalization.
