Planned shrinkage
Encyclopedia
Planned shrinkage is a public policy
, practiced most notably in the 1970s in New York City
, of withdrawing essential city services (such as police patrols, garbage removal, street repairs, and fire services) from neighborhoods suffering from urban decay
, crime
, and poverty
so that neighborhoods may be claimed by outside interests for new development. After the mid-20th-century boom in highways, suburbs, and urban dispersal, civic leaders felt that urban decline was a natural and inevitable process, and they sought to plan the manner in which cities would shrink in such a way that population loss would be greatest in the areas with the poorest non-white residents.
Under Planned Shrinkage, one 100-unit development on one piece of land cleared by a single developer is preferable to 10 neighborhoods-based efforts each producing 100 units. The policy supported monolithic development, and often development at much lower densities than the neighborhoods impacted by it sustained in the past.
in the mid 1970s. In 1976 the Housing Commissioner of New York City, Roger Starr responded to the urban decay that plagued many areas in NYC such as The South Bronx and Harlem
proposing a policy now known as "planned shrinkage."
On January 14, 1976 Starr gave a speech at the real estate industry lodge of the B'nai B'rith
suggesting that the city should "accelerate the drainage" in what he called the worst parts of the South Bronx through a policy of "planned shrinkage." He suggested closing subway stations, firehouses and schools. In these days the city was in a deep financial crisis and Starr felt these actions were the best way to save money. Starr's arguments soon became predominant in urban planning thinking nationwide. The people who lived in the communities where his policies were applied protested; without adequate fire service and police protection they faced waves of crime and fires that left much of the South Bronx and Harlem devastated.
Planned shrinkage has been advocated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
, in order to create a "more compact, more efficient and less flood-prone city".
The term has also been used in the 2010s in relation to the proposed reconfiguration of inner Detroit suburbs following its population decline and resulting urban decay.
conducted a study that showed how city services relate to population in a large city. They concluded that when services such as police and fire protection were withdrawn, the population in that area would decrease. In part in response to the RAND study and in an effort to address the shrinking population in New York City, Starr proposed his policy of planned shrinkage to reduce the impoverished population and better preserve the tax base. The idea was that because most of the fires in poor neighborhoods were "caused by arson
," there was no sense in improving fire services to combat the problem. Although the RAND Institute report suggested that a large proportion of the fires were arson, subsequent analysis of the data would not back this up. Of the fires in buildings, only a very small portion were arson and that portion was not higher than the rate of proven arson found in wealthier neighborhoods. However, influenced by the report, Daniel Patrick Moynihan
went on to make recommendations for urban policy based on the assumption that there was "widespread arson" in poverty stricken neighborhoods like the South Bronx and Harlem. To Moynihan arson was one of many social pathologies caused by large cities that would benefit from benign neglect.
By the mid-1970s, The Bronx
had 120,000 fires per year (an average of about 30 fires every 2 hours); 40 percent of the housing in the area was destroyed. (The overall rate of fires in the city shows a dramatic rise from about 60,000 reported fires in 1960 to rates of over 120,000 per year throughout most of the 1970s, peaking in 1980.) The response time for fires also increased, as the firefighters simply did not have the resources to keep up. Many residents felt that the city was doing nothing to stop the fires. Planned shrinkage also had impacts on public health. The pattern of the AIDS
outbreak itself has been gravely affected, and even strongly determined, by the outcomes of a program of planned shrinkage directed in African-American and Hispanic communities and implemented through systematic and continuing denial of municipal services — particularly fire extinguishment resources — essential for maintaining urban levels of population density and ensuring community stability.
The populations in the South Bronx, Lower East Side
, and Harlem
plummeted. Only after two decades did the city begin to invest in these areas again. New developments were built and today each of these neighborhoods has come a long way from the 1970s.
Video of Deborah Wallace presenting on this topic from Harlem Tenants Council Conference on Gentrification, June 2, 2007, Harlem, NY at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3929319918930131040#
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, practiced most notably in the 1970s in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, of withdrawing essential city services (such as police patrols, garbage removal, street repairs, and fire services) from neighborhoods suffering from urban decay
Urban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
, crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, and poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
so that neighborhoods may be claimed by outside interests for new development. After the mid-20th-century boom in highways, suburbs, and urban dispersal, civic leaders felt that urban decline was a natural and inevitable process, and they sought to plan the manner in which cities would shrink in such a way that population loss would be greatest in the areas with the poorest non-white residents.
Under Planned Shrinkage, one 100-unit development on one piece of land cleared by a single developer is preferable to 10 neighborhoods-based efforts each producing 100 units. The policy supported monolithic development, and often development at much lower densities than the neighborhoods impacted by it sustained in the past.
History of the term
The term "Planned Shrinkage" was first used in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the mid 1970s. In 1976 the Housing Commissioner of New York City, Roger Starr responded to the urban decay that plagued many areas in NYC such as The South Bronx and Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
proposing a policy now known as "planned shrinkage."
On January 14, 1976 Starr gave a speech at the real estate industry lodge of the B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith International |Covenant]]" is the oldest continually operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was initially founded as the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith in New York City, on , 1843, by Henry Jones and 11 others....
suggesting that the city should "accelerate the drainage" in what he called the worst parts of the South Bronx through a policy of "planned shrinkage." He suggested closing subway stations, firehouses and schools. In these days the city was in a deep financial crisis and Starr felt these actions were the best way to save money. Starr's arguments soon became predominant in urban planning thinking nationwide. The people who lived in the communities where his policies were applied protested; without adequate fire service and police protection they faced waves of crime and fires that left much of the South Bronx and Harlem devastated.
Planned shrinkage has been advocated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, in order to create a "more compact, more efficient and less flood-prone city".
The term has also been used in the 2010s in relation to the proposed reconfiguration of inner Detroit suburbs following its population decline and resulting urban decay.
Origins of the idea
In the early 1970s, RANDRAND
RAND Corporation is a nonprofit global policy think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces by Douglas Aircraft Company. It is currently financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations including the healthcare industry, universities...
conducted a study that showed how city services relate to population in a large city. They concluded that when services such as police and fire protection were withdrawn, the population in that area would decrease. In part in response to the RAND study and in an effort to address the shrinking population in New York City, Starr proposed his policy of planned shrinkage to reduce the impoverished population and better preserve the tax base. The idea was that because most of the fires in poor neighborhoods were "caused by arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
," there was no sense in improving fire services to combat the problem. Although the RAND Institute report suggested that a large proportion of the fires were arson, subsequent analysis of the data would not back this up. Of the fires in buildings, only a very small portion were arson and that portion was not higher than the rate of proven arson found in wealthier neighborhoods. However, influenced by the report, Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
went on to make recommendations for urban policy based on the assumption that there was "widespread arson" in poverty stricken neighborhoods like the South Bronx and Harlem. To Moynihan arson was one of many social pathologies caused by large cities that would benefit from benign neglect.
Results of planned shrinkage
"In the South Bronx, the average number of people per [fire] engine is over 44,000. In Staten Island, it's 17,000. There is no standard for manning areas of multiple dwellings as opposed to one- and two- family residences." — Chief X, a battalion chief from the New York City Fire Department interviewed in the BBC-TV special "The Bronx is Burning," in 1976.
By the mid-1970s, The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
had 120,000 fires per year (an average of about 30 fires every 2 hours); 40 percent of the housing in the area was destroyed. (The overall rate of fires in the city shows a dramatic rise from about 60,000 reported fires in 1960 to rates of over 120,000 per year throughout most of the 1970s, peaking in 1980.) The response time for fires also increased, as the firefighters simply did not have the resources to keep up. Many residents felt that the city was doing nothing to stop the fires. Planned shrinkage also had impacts on public health. The pattern of the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
outbreak itself has been gravely affected, and even strongly determined, by the outcomes of a program of planned shrinkage directed in African-American and Hispanic communities and implemented through systematic and continuing denial of municipal services — particularly fire extinguishment resources — essential for maintaining urban levels of population density and ensuring community stability.
The populations in the South Bronx, Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
, and Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
plummeted. Only after two decades did the city begin to invest in these areas again. New developments were built and today each of these neighborhoods has come a long way from the 1970s.
See also
- Freeway and expressway revoltsFreeway and expressway revoltsMany freeway revolts took place in developed countries during the 1960s and 1970s, in response to plans for the construction of new freeways, a significant number of which were abandoned or significantly scaled back due to widespread public opposition; especially of those whose neighborhoods would...
- GentrificationGentrificationGentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
- Mortgage DiscriminationMortgage discriminationMortgage discrimination or mortgage lending discrimination is the practice of banks, governments or other lending institutions denying loans to one or more groups of people primarily on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sex or religion...
- RedliningRedliningRedlining is the practice of denying, or increasing the cost of services such as banking, insurance, access to jobs, access to health care, or even supermarkets to residents in certain, often racially determined, areas. The term "redlining" was coined in the late 1960s by John McKnight, a...
- Benign neglectBenign neglectBenign neglect was a policy proposed in the late 1960s by New York Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was at the time on Nixon's White House Staff as an urban affairs advisor. While serving in this capacity, he sent the President a memo suggesting that "the issue of race could benefit from a period...
- Urban decayUrban decayUrban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
- Urban renewalUrban renewalUrban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
- Principles of Intelligent UrbanismPrinciples of Intelligent UrbanismPrinciples of Intelligent Urbanism is a theory of urban planning composed of a set of ten axioms intended to guide the formulation of city plans and urban designs. They are intended to reconcile and integrate diverse urban planning and management concerns...
Further reading
- The City Journal: Roger Starr 1918–2001 by Myron Magnet; Roger Starr had been editor of City Journal
- In the South Bronx of America by Mel Rosenthal, Martha Rosler and Barry Phillips
- South Bronx Rising: The Rise, fall and resurrection of an American city by Jill Jones
External links
- Disinvestment and Planned Shrinkage: Clearing the Way for Redevelopment of the Lower East Side gregoryheller.com
- New Hope in the Bronx startsandfits.com
- Syndemic Preventions Network article quoting from the Wallaces' work about AIDS and the South Bronx retrieved from Web ArchiveWeb ARChiveThe Web ARChive archive format specifies a method for combining multiple digital resources into an aggregate archive file together with related information. The WARC format is a revision of the Internet Archive's ARC File Format [ARC_IA] that has traditionally been used to store "web crawls" as...
on July 6, 2008
Video of Deborah Wallace presenting on this topic from Harlem Tenants Council Conference on Gentrification, June 2, 2007, Harlem, NY at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3929319918930131040#