Neighborhood Planning in Historical Perspective

Some studies of the recent neighborhood planning movement suggest that its origins can be traced to the reform fervor of the 1960s. In fact, the idea of “neighborhood” and of planning its character has been an enduring component of American social thought for at least the past 100 years. An examination of the roots of the contemporary neighborhood movement reveals its complicated and somewhat contradictory lineage. This article suggests that we must measure the recent successes of the neighborhood movement not merely in terms of a two-decade struggle but in light of nearly 100 years of planning and reform activity.