Beyond Federal Urban Policy

Under Democratic and Republican leaders alike, urban policy has receded into a Washington backwater, and it is unlikely to reemerge as a priority any time soon. This essay provides a brief narrative of the rise and fall of urban policy, with a focus on the climax of urban policy making in the late 1970s. The essay also offers some thoughts on the frameworks—the architecture—the status and alignment of which affects the prospects for federal government involvement in local problem solving and building quality communities.