Planning and Politics: Citizen Participation in Urban Renewal

Citizen participation in urban renewal cannot be judged simply as an effort to “plan with people” and thus realize a democratic goal, but only with reference to the differing capacities of various social classes to engage in the collective determination of objectives, and the implications of such participation for the ends of the renewal program. Further, citizen participation has consequences for the growing number of big-city mayors who seek power without having strong party organizations.