Sprawling commercial and residential development in the suburbs can mask severe socioeconomic problems more usually associated with inner cities, such as income decline, crime increase and tax base erosion. This is an examination of conditions and trends in cities and suburbs since 1960, arguing that, beginning in the 1980s, the United States entered a post-suburban era of declining suburbs accompanied by large-scale deterioration of communities. The authors explore: why suburban decline has become so widespread; why planning decisions fail to take account of residents' preferences; how strategic planning can help assess dangers; and how some suburbs have stabilized or revived. The authors insist that a high-quality natural and built environment is key to achieving economic stability, and they set out a series of policy recommendations that can help contribute to this goal.
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A 2000 study studied this question.