The Politics of Urban Development

Provides an overview on how large US cities and metropolitan areas makedecisions about both public investments (in facilities such as roads,transit systems, airports, stadiums, and convention centers) and land-useregulation (such as zoning, comprehensive planning, \”Smart Growth,\” and NewUrbanism). Via both class discussions and guest speakers, course provides anoverview of theoretical perspectives on public investment and regulation,strategies used by practitioners to move current projects and policiesforward, and proposed agendas for future action. Focuses throughout on thechallenges of balancing the desire to pursue economic development whilealso addressing issues of equity, the environment, and the quality of lifefor urban residents.